My Hero
by DreamingOfParadise
Summary: Bella Swan has always wanted to be a doctor and this becomes reality when she starts a job at Forks General Hospital. She doesn't expect to meet Dr Carlisle Cullen, however, and she must balance her feelings for him along with her problems at home.
1. One

**My Hero**

_Chapter One_

**_Bella's POV_**

I've known ever since I was a teenager that I wanted to be a doctor.

My parents had protested a hell of a lot about my ambitions; Renee, my mother, kept telling me that I should be a hairdresser or something along those lines, mostly because she was one herself. "You've got to do it, Bells," she'd say. "It's a really rewarding job! You'll thank me after it all!"

Being at that age, I had a major rant, protesting that she couldn't tell me what _I _wanted to do for my future. Of course I apologised afterwards, feeling guilty about shouting and being moody, but she kept persisting weeks afterwards, much to my irritation.

Dad was sort-of the same. He thought I should be doing something like teaching because I was, apparently, 'good with kids.' Not only did that sound strange when he talked about me to other members of our family, but it wasn't true. I liked children, sure, but I couldn't cope with a class full of them screaming about their grazed knees.

So I didn't change my mindset and kept determined, eventually doing a degree at University. It may have taken a very long time, but here I am today, starting my job at Forks General Hospital. I was a little nervous, but that was completely natural for a first day. I couldn't help gazing at the strangely intimidating building in front of me, though. It was grand and... well, _gigantic_. It was probably the biggest place I'd seen in my entire life.

The first thing I noticed after stopping in the parking lot, to my shame, was that my car looked terribly out of place here. The old and faded-orange Chevrolet that my father had generously given me for my eighteenth birthday (I've kept it for several years 'cause it's very reliable) was surrounded by row after row of expensive cars, including a shiny black Mercedes which I immediately longed to run my hands along; it was smooth, slick and looked like it should belong in a spy film.

That wasn't going to get me down, though. The morning hadn't exactly gotten off to the best of starts with Mark, my partner, but I was trying my hardest not to let that stop me. His words that I wasn't good enough for this job kept echoing around in my head, but that wasn't true. I could do this; I'd had the training and I was ready.

But the venom in his voice always seemed to affect me. He was always adamant that he was right and wasn't going to stop until I knew that.

Blinking out of my thoughts, I stepped outside and quickly dashed to the building, carefully dodging the cars that were pulling up all around me. It was starting to rain – something that wasn't uncommon in Forks – so I hurried as fast as I could without falling over, splashing through the puddles.

He always taunted me because of my clumsiness.

I sighed to myself and continued racing forward, eventually making it to the entrance. The warmth of the building hit me immediately and I wriggled in my clothes, feeling the dampness.

My shoes squeaked and my socks sloshed due to the vast amount of water which had saturated them. With a small groan, I pulled my hood down and stood at the reception. A middle aged woman in glasses eyed me carefully, her eyebrows raised high into her fringe of blonde hair.

"Hi, I'm Bella Swan," I began. "It's my first day here..." I trailed off as she nodded slowly.

"Ah, we've been expecting you," she said in a nasal voice that sounded eerily like my old school headmistress; she'd never believed I could be a doctor, either. In short, people never seemed to have much belief in me.

The woman suddenly stood up and escorted me to a room, her heals clacking along the floor on the way. It was a struggle to keep up with her, but I just managed.

"Put your coat there," she ordered, indicating towards a coat hanger in the corner. I did so without hesitation and straightened out my uniform when she opened the door for me. I was immediately greeted to a roomful of doctors and nurses; my new colleagues. My stomach twisted and I felt my legs wobble.

Meeting new people wasn't one of my strongest points.

"This is the new one," the woman said somewhat coldly, leaving me alone with these strangers and letting the door slam loudly behind her.

I couldn't make my lips move; I was just frozen, like a new child at a school full of unfamiliar groups of friends. The familiar feeling was kind of nauseating.

"Hello," a young woman said, approaching me suddenly with a bounce. "I'm Megan. It's nice to have you here."

She seemed to be around my age and had peroxide blonde hair with dark roots showing through. I had no idea why I noticed that first.

"Hi," I replied eventually, my voice croaking a little. "I'm Bella. Bella Swan."

The atmosphere relaxed slowly over time and everything passed by in a strange blur. Conversations were struck up and I was gradually introduced to everyone in the room. Well, _nearly_ everyone. Megan, or Meg, as I was repeatedly advised to call her, was busily chatting to me as we grabbed a coffee.

"Oh my God, I forgot to say!" she said in a squealing voice. "Just _wait_ until you see Dr Cullen."

"Who?" I said, running my fingers around the cup for comfort.

"He's busy at the moment," she continued. "He's got some patient to deal with, but I _wish _you could see him." Her voice trailed off and she sighed dreamily. "He's _gorgeous_. Like... completely _stunning_. Half the people here fancy him, including the men."

"Really?" I muttered half-heartedly, not particularly listening. I expected her to start drooling at any moment and wanted to be a safe distance away.

"Yeah," she continued, oblivious to my disinterest. "He's like... like a movie star."

_I highly doubted that._ "That's all good, but I've got a partner," I said, wincing internally as I started nibbling on a biscuit.

She laughed. "That won't matter once you see him."

I had completely stopped listening then, staring absently out the window. The raindrops were slowly trickling down the glass, racing each other to the bottom.

Work was starting in five minutes and I would finally get to help the patients I'd wanted to for years and years. I smiled to myself as the doctors and nurses began slowly disappearing, but some nerves began to creep in somewhere deep in my stomach. Even though all I could think about was that, I saw a man approaching me out of nowhere, grinning goofily and showing me the gaps between his teeth. Nice.

"Hello there, I'm John, I'll be helping you today," he said, shaking my hand formally. "It's just to make sure you don't end up hurting anyone," he added, laughing loudly. I forced a smile back; it was already clear that he was irritating and patronising. _Great..._

"Right, let's get you to your ward," he said and I walked forward, balling my hands into annoyed fists by my sides. _Keep calm, Bella. It'll be fine when he's gone..._

It probably wouldn't be too good to slap him across the face with a plastic glove or something. No, that's _definitely_ not professional.

And there's already enough violence in my life, anyway.

* * *

When I was eventually helping my first patient, the swell of pride and emotion I felt was almost enough to make me cry.

I managed to hold myself together, though - mostly because of my months of practice - and it wasn't long before I was out searching for the next person to attend to.

As if it wasn't bad enough that I was carrying a pile of papers and boxes of documents, John _insisted_ on trailing inches behind me the whole way, like some kind of dog. I hoped that he was going to leave me alone after today because, if he didn't, there might have been some _serious_ consequences.

I began stepping carefully down the stairs, breathing slowly to calm myself while his voice droned on and on about hygiene. How did people _cope_ with him?

"_Yes_," I repeated, for the fifth time. "I have got a degree in all this y'know."

"Yes, I'm aware of that, but it's good to be sure."

It took so much of my concentration to actually _ignore_ him that I was surprised when I suddenly registered my feet slipping clumsily from underneath me.

I staggered forward, falling uncontrollably down the stairs, closing my eyes and just praying that I wouldn't get hurt; I was still sore, anyway. There was a horrible light sensation in my stomach as I had no control over what was happening, but I felt myself suddenly thud into something hard and cold, listening to the papers and boxes scattering frantically around me. After a pause to calm myself, I slowly opened my eyes and felt my legs turn to jelly, clichéd as that sounds. My first thought was that the man in front of me couldn't be real. He was too... just too _beautiful_.

Maybe my eyes were deceiving me. Perhaps I'd already fallen, and this was because of my concussion.

I scanned myself mentally for injuries and blinked twice. Nope, I was still conscious. A smile spread slowly across his face as he watched me closely.

I laughed nervously, the only thing I could think of doing, and began to pick up the papers and documents around us. The man in front of me knelt down to help me, copying my actions, and I felt his strangely golden eyes on my face; it was as if his gaze was somehow scorching me.

He was turning my thoughts into incomprehensible nonsense without saying a word.

His hair... _oh my goodness_, his hair was wonderful. It was a light blonde which was swept back as though he'd been continuously running his hands through it. It was probably stupid of me to be instantly envious of his hands, but that was a pretty accurate description of how I felt.

"Are you alright?" he asked suddenly, his voice warm and deep so that it seemed to rumble in his chest. I told myself to breathe.

"Yes, thank y-you," I replied slowly, pausing nervously to search for something else to say. "Thanks for, uh, saving me."

He laughed beautifully, a sound that made my stomach feel light once again. "That's probably a bit over-dramatic, but it was no problem, anyway." His eyes quickly darted to my name tag. "Ah, you must be Bella Swan, the newcomer," he smiled, the areas around his eyes crinkling. I also noticed how his lips were nicely plump and how-

"Gosh, you must be_ psychic_," I joked, stopping myself before I thought too much, and he grinned, flashing his brilliant teeth at me. God, there were white. And sharp... really, oddly sharp.

"I'm Dr Cullen," he smiled.

I was surprised that I _was_ still conscious. I found my eyes uncontrollably scanning his body; underneath his pristine white doctor's coat he was wearing a light blue shirt with a pale yellow tie. He wore a tightly fitted cardigan, buttoned up neat and tidy. He was basically wearing clothes nearly as light as his skin; maybe he was part albino or something. I shook my head and averted my eyes to the papers. I could feel his stare on me again and I wished it would stop; I looked completely terrible next to him, a complete mess.

"Did you hurt yourself?" he asked. "You hit me pretty hard."

When he said this, I felt a slight twinge in my arm that had gone unnoticed before. "Hmm, yeah my arm hurts a little, but it'll be fine, it's nothing, really," I shrugged. _I'd had much worse_. A thought popped into my mind. "Oh, sorry, did I hurt you?"

He frowned for a moment, looking a little stunned, but then chuckled. "No, no not at all."

"Good," I breathed, collecting the papers he had gathered for me. "Thanks."

I heard an impatient cough coming from behind us and turned to see John looking at us both with disapproval. _What a_ tool_._

"Oh, sorry," I said, standing up quickly. I turned back to the more important man there. "Um, thanks again, Dr Cullen."

I was ushered away hastily and I couldn't take one more look at his quite frankly amazing face. I was _really _going to fall out with John soon... No, scratch that, I'd never even been friends with him in the first place.

"I'd stay away from him if I were you," he whispered in my ear when we entered a quiet office a while later. His voice was enough to make my toes curl. "He's... strange."

"Oh shut up," I snapped, suddenly at the end of my tether. "Don't tell me what to do." I was beyond fed up of people taking control of me, but there was no way I could stop it at home. I just had to accept it.

John stared at me, completely shocked, and I sighed. There was no point in this.

"Sorry, it's just been a stressful day," I said, filing away the papers with my back turned. That way he couldn't see my face.

He tutted at me. "You'd best not act like that all the time or you'll get fired before you even get properly started."

He left the room and I grumbled to myself. "You're not my bloody boss."

I leaned against the cool filing cabinet, closing my eyes in exhaustion. Then I realised I had people to help and I walked out into the humming corridor, ready to work again.

A small part of me wanted to see a certain doctor, too.

* * *

I returned back to the office a long time later and glanced at the ticking clock beside me: just one hour left. The day had gone by so fast, despite a few obstacles. Why did it have to end? Maybe I could go out for lunch or something... anything to avoid going back home.

But he'd just be mad if I was late back and that was never a good thing.

With another sigh, I walked back outside, thinking about what had happened once again. I felt strangely guilty about my sudden rush of thoughts for Dr Cullen; my brain had turned to mush around him before and he was on my mind quite a bit. As much as I hated to say it, I had a partner, for goodness' sake; how could I even think about another man? Now I _deserved_ to be punished.

I began walking down the long corridor with my head down and my heels echoing loudly. One final hour to go. The familiar feeling of dread crept back into my consciousness as I walked back to the ward. I _really_ hated going back home; it was a nice escape getting out of the place because-

I shook my head, desperately trying to escape my thoughts. It was no good being trapped in that circle.

Even though I told myself this, I had something new to think about when I swiftly turned around a corner, because I bumped into _him_ again.

"Ooops, sorry!" I staggered, as Dr Cullen smiled brilliantly and took a few steps back from me. I tried not to take that personally.

"It's perfectly alright," he answered and I frowned at my increasing heartbeat. _Shut up dammit! He's just a man._

"How has your first day been?" he asked, sounding genuinely interested. "I forgot to ask when I _saved_ you earlier." He smirked while saying this and his eyes seemed to light up beautifully.

"It's been really good... _mostly..._" I told him, rolling my own eyes. "John's been getting on my nerves a bit." There was a small pause. "No, stuff that, he's been driving me_ insane_."

He chuckled, looking briefly at the floor. "Yes, he tends to irritate a fair share of people." To my surprise, he suddenly leaned closer, somewhat conspiratorially. "Most of our colleagues call him the Shih Tzu."

I felt a warm glow when he said _our_.

I laughed at his joke and, as I did so, I realised just how long it had been since I was genuinely amused. My thoughts turned back to the reason and my laughter cut off abruptly.

I looked at the floor, echoing his own actions, while the memories viciously consumed me. Feeling paranoid, I quickly glanced upwards and noticed him looking at me; his face made it seem as though he was studying me and it made me very uncomfortable. None of us said anything.

"Miss Swan?" I heard a familiar voice suddenly call from in the distance. It was John. Automatically, I closed my eyes slowly in exasperation. I opened them seconds later to see Dr Cullen's amused face smiling at me.

"I'd better go," I grimaced, walking reluctantly away from him. "I guess I'll... uh, see you around?"

"Yes," he replied, looking at me strangely. "I'll... see you around."

I turned to face John. "Did you _want _something?"

"Yes," he snapped, clearly annoyed. "I've been told that you can go home now; you're allowed to finish early seeing as it's your first day."

He forced a smile and disappeared quickly, leaving me standing alone in the corridor. I turned around to see if Dr Cullen was still there, but he was gone. I felt momentarily disappointed, and frowned to myself. _I shouldn't be thinking like this._

After a few moments of more thinking (or panicking), I exhaled heavily and headed towards the exit. It wasn't raining this time, but I sat still in my truck, allowing a few silent tears to trail down my cheek; I was powerless to stop them. I then wiped them away angrily with the back of my hand and started up the truck to head home. It had been a fantastic first day, but that didn't matter any more.

The only significiant thing at that moment was whether Mark was in a good mood or not.

I prayed repeatedly that it was the first option.


	2. Two

**My Hero**

_Chapter Two_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

It was 8.46am and I stood completely still, staring out of the open window with the light breeze blowing my medical coat behind me. The air was a pleasant feeling against my cold skin and I sighed to myself once more, the sound barely audible.

Completely lost in my thoughts, I was just glancing up at the different clouds and watching them moving slowly across the sky, when I suddenly felt a pair of hands slither around my shoulders with an alarmingly tight grip. In surprise, I turned around quickly to see Esme smiling at me and I forced a hard smile back.

Surely she would have noticed my falseness?

"Good morning," she said pleasantly, kissing me with her soft lips. I tried to stop my body's negative reaction when she did this, but I couldn't quite manage it.

"Looks like it's going to rain today, _again,_" she added as I pulled away from her and pretended to gather together some equipment. She seemed oblivious to my forced actions, once again being unobservant of somebody who she was supposed to know best.

How had this happened?

"Hmm," I answered noncommitally.

"Maybe I could start redesigning our bedroom today," she pondered after a brief silence. "It's about time we had a change. I'm rather fond of-"

I stopped listening to her enthusiastic words and focused on the persistent voice in my head, telling me that this was all so very wrong. Perhaps I was just going through some odd feelings at that moment; work was becoming stressful, that was probably a factor. All relationships had tough days, maybe this was just one of them.

If only I could truly believe that.

I zipped up my medical bag and whipped around to face her. After that, I nodded, as though I had just absorbed whatever it was she had said, and headed swiftly towards the door.

"I need to go, sorry, I'm running quite late," I told her, knowing that it wasn't the truth at all. Even the excuse sounded abrupt to myself, but Esme didn't seem to notice.

"Oh," her disappointed voice called from behind and I felt another twinge of guilt. "Bye, then! See you later, darling."

I didn't reply as I stepped out briskly towards my Mercedes, struggling to keep to a human speed.

When I sat down on the leather seat, I suddenly felt all the wrong I was doing tumble over me like a tidal wave and I wondered just what I was turning into. I was already a monster... could I actually become any worse? Was that even possible?

I had to accept that I simply couldn't control my feelings any longer; I wasn't in love with Esme anymore.

I had tried to ignore this over the past few months, immersing myself with all kinds of activities that we did together. But, despite my efforts, I continuously began to realise that I no longer felt the same way; I never felt any passion towards her. The first time we'd met, I'd felt excitement and wanted to spend every second I had with her.

We were almost like strangers now.

I couldn't do anything to hurt her, though; I could never forgive myself. Our family would be shattered if I revealed my true thoughts and feelings – I couldn't bear to think of anyone being upset because of me; it was terribly selfish.

The hospital stood in front of me suddenly - I was barely aware that I had even been driving; in normal circumstances that would have been extremely dangerous, but luckily I had enhanced senses so didn't have to worry - and I quickly parked into my allocated spot, determined to just stop pondering _everything_. Sometimes it was a blessing to be capable of several thoughts at once, but now it was just a curse.

The parking lot was relatively empty when I arrived and I swiftly glanced at my watch; 8.55am.

I was early. Too early. I had _way_ too much time to think on my hands and that wasn't good.

I stood up briskly and stepped out of my car before I could let anything else consume me. I decided to go for a run through the woods, green and murky, trying to clear the worried thoughts in my head.

It didn't work.

* * *

An hour later, I walked through the hospital doors to be greeted with plenty of the usual stares and smiles. It should be flattering, but judging from the type of things I've been informed about that are said about me... it's enough to make anybody's eyes water.

I tried my best to politely smile back at them, but I couldn't ignore the whispers circulating around like a hissing snake: I heard the name Bella Swan several times and I was intrigued to meet this new person, whoever she was.

After I made it to my ward and placed down my medical bag on my desk, I sat down completely still on my chair with my head in my hands, trying to mentally prepare myself for the day ahead. I was worried that I might not be in the right state of mind to work, but I didn't get a change to really consider that because, only a few moments later, I heard a quick tap on the door and a head of blonde hair appeared in the space.

"Dr Cullen, we need you immediately, somebody's come in after a serious car accident, it's not pretty," she said in a rushed voice, wincing as she explained.

By the time Laura, one of the nurses, had finished, I was already by her side and rushing down the corridor, rubbing my eyes along the way.

It wasn't pleasant. In fact, it was painful to look at, even despite my years of experience with this type of emergency.

The poor, injured man lay helplessly on the operating table, covered in bruises and cuts. The blood didn't bother me at all, it was just a smell in the background; I just couldn't help focusing on the pained expression on his face. He was still conscious, writhing uncontrollably and gasping in agony. I walked over to him and his eyes locked onto mine.

"Please..." he whispered, "Please help me... I can't leave my... my children..."

His eyes closed suddenly and I felt an overwhelming passion to save his life. His family needed him; I would do whatever it took to save him.

I began stitching his wounds and scanning his body for breakages. This was going to be a long hour, but I would do all that I could.

It was certainly the distraction I needed.

* * *

The man remained unconscious but stable as the heart monitor worked steadily beside him. I felt flooded with relief when his family made it to his side, his wife clutching his hand and his two young children sitting beside him. He would wake up soon and be greeted by their happy faces, and that was all that mattered.

He'd been saved. The sanctity of a human life was something that I always had in mind. In fact, my whole life revolved around that fact.

I slowly walked away down the corridor and began making my way up the stairs. The situation with Esme was slowly creeping back into my mind and I desperately needed something else to think about.

It might have been self-centred of me, but I couldn't live like that. It wasn't right.

Without warning, though, I suddenly became alert to the delicate sound of a foot slipping, and I soon saw a woman falling uncontrollably through the air. I rushed up quickly - glad that nobody seemed to notice my unnatural speed - and held out my hands ready to steady her. She fell into me with considerable force; my first thought was that I hoped she hadn't injured herself.

I listened to the papers rustling quietly, the noise distinct and irritating, as they slowly fell to the floor. The woman against me had her eyes closed tight and, when she pulled back and opened them to look at me, I felt like everything around me didn't matter; it was just us two in a world of our own. _How did she have that effect after less than a minute?_

Her eyes were beautiful; they were a warm brown with hints of hazel and they shone brightly in the light. There was a hidden emotion and depth trapped in them as well, something I couldn't quite place. But, nevertheless, I felt like I could become lost in them, they were so full of expression and beauty.

My own eyes trailed across her face, which was equally as breathtaking. Her skin was pale, just like mine, but it glowed and seemed to be perfectly clear. Her hair was a similar colour to her eyes, and had a subtle wave to it. It lay neatly past her shoulders and I noticed how the blood began flooding her cheeks, filling them with a wonderful pink glow. It took me a brief moment to remember where I was.

I saw her blinking irresistibly; the expression on her face warmed my still heart. A true smile spread across my face for the first time in months, shocking me completely.

The woman slowly knelt down and began hastily gathering her papers. I copied her, crouching down to her face her, and I was suddenly hit with her alluring scent; it was beautiful, again, like an array of fresh flowers. I found myself intoxicated, intrigued and curious at my own strange actions.

_It was dangerous to get this close to humans..._

Ignoring the persistent voice in my head, I realised that my eyes were still on her face, so I unwillingly averted them to the papers, afraid that I might start staring. My throat was strangely tight, but I managed to force some words out.

"Are you alright?" I asked and watched as her eyes trailed to my face.

"Yes, thank y-you," she replied slowly in an incredibly soft voice. Her slight stammer alarmed me; was she scared? I couldn't blame her really, but the thought was horrible. She paused for a moment and added, "Thanks for, uh, saving me."

I laughed and managed to say that it was no problem. I longed to talk to her more and more and this scared _me_ somewhere deep down. My eyes darted uncontrollably to her name tag. Everything made a bit more sense.

"Ah, you must be Bella Swan, the newcomer," I smiled, finding that I was forgetting _most_ of my troubles. It was amazing how at ease I was with her; it truly surprised me.

"Gosh, you must be psychic," she said jokingly.

"I'm Dr Cullen," I replied, at a loss of what else to say without sounding too foolish.

She remained silent for a few moments, jerkily gathering her documents together. I realised with a pang of dismay that I may have intimidated her. Or, as I suspected earlier, scared her... I remembered the incident and became concerned about her state.

"Did you hurt yourself? You hit me pretty hard," I asked, scanning her face for any signs.

I noticed her wincing as I mentioned the word hit. She shrugged offhandedly as a response. "Hmm, yeah my arm hurts a little, but it'll be fine," she said and suddenly added, "Oh, sorry, did I hurt you?"

My thoughts became jumbled by her caring nature; she was thinking of _me. _I frowned; someone as thoughtful as her simply _couldn't_ exist, it was... _impossible_. I glanced at her concerned face and chuckled. "No, not at all." _It wasn't like that would ever happen._

I handed her the papers and locked eye contact for a brief moment. A cough came out of nowhere and I realised that John Adams was watching us with annoyed eyes. I sighed and stood up, feeling nothing but frustration.

"Oh, sorry," she said, fumbling around slightly. "Um, thanks again, Dr Cullen."

The way she murmured my name did strange thing to me.

She disappeared too soon, leaving me standing there dumbfounded and completely stunned. I wanted to see her wonderful face one more time... just the once more...

Before I could let my feelings take over, however, I remembered Esme at home with our adopted children, and the frown reappeared on my face. Before long the lines would become permanent, impossible to remove.

I sighed heavily and stepped back to my ward to complete the day's work, trying not to dwell on what had happened.

I failed at that.

* * *

"Carlisle?"

A familiar voice called me when I was back home later and I turned to see Edward smiling at me. We were both in the garden and the chilly evening breeze whipped our clothes. After seeing him - our vision unaffected by the lack of light - an automatic smile spread across my own face to match his.

"Yes, son?" I said, placing my hand on his shoulder. "Do you need something?"

"You could say that. I need to ask you about something... a matter that's been bothering me for some time," he said, eyeing me carefully. I felt immediately anxious and hoped he didn't feel this.

"Then it needs to be discussed if it's been worrying you. Let's have a walk, that might help."

As we headed through the forest, avoiding trees without much effort, he suddenly stopped and faced me. The moonlight hit his face and I could see the fear in his eyes. It pained me greatly.

"Carlisle," he said, in a grave voice, "Has something happened between yourself and Esme?"

I tried to hide the sudden worry that consumed me. Edward was observant; I should have known he'd notice something eventually.

"What makes you think that?" I replied, as calmly as I could manage. My response wasn't a lie.

He shrugged and leant back against a tree behind him; the branches shivered in the wind. "You just don't seem to be as close to her lately. I'd like to be made aware if anything is going to change."

I found a quick excuse, feeling awful. "Work has been difficult lately, son." It was during times like these I was glad Edward's mind-reading ability only worked on humans.

He nodded. "Maybe you need some time off," he suggested. "You deserve a break."

I tried to ignore my sudden guilt. "Maybe," I replied. "But it only seems fair that, considering I have enhanced abilities, I should use them as much as possible to save lives. It almost makes what we are acceptable."

He looked at me disapprovingly. "Acceptable? Carlisle, you've lived for centuries. I thought you no longer felt any guilt or ashamed of what you are?"

I just stared back at him, my eyes vacant.

"Anyway, thank you for easing my worry," he said after forty five seconds of silence. "Are you ready to go?"

"Yes, son."

We turned back to the house in the darkness, and my thoughts turned uncontrollably back to Bella Swan without warning. I was just beginning to picture her beautiful face clearly once again, when Esme's voice penetrated my vision.

I couldn't help wishing that it would be a different voice calling for me, and that pained me deeply.


	3. Three

**My Hero**

_Chapter Three _

_**Bella's POV**_

The truck's engine ground to a sudden halt as I pulled up outside my small house. The darkness was menacing and the silence surrounding me was haunting. I sat still, trying to breathe calmly, but my hands shook uncontrollably beyond my control. I acted like this every time I returned home; I didn't know why I wasn't used to it by now.

I took a deep, unsteady breath and unwillingly stepped out of my vehicle. I slowly locked the door - with a bit of effort because the key was unsteady in my fingertips - and stepped quietly towards the house.

Outside it looked so welcoming, with its warm light pouring through the purple curtains.

Inside it was so much different.

The front door closed quietly behind me and I was faced with the dimly lit interior; the claustrophobia crept up on me like a silent stalker. I could hear the distant cheering from a TV football game and guessed that Mark was sitting on the sofa, lounging around as usual.

I slowly stepped into the kitchen, aiming to make as little noise as possible, and quietly poured myself a glass of water. It was then that I felt his cold breath on my neck and I jumped stupidly, the glass tumbing out of my hands with a loud smash.

"Bella-_Wella_..."

He sneered the nickname that I despised in a cold, whiny voice. I winced while taking a deep breath, and slowly turned around to face him. Somehow, I forced a weak smile.

His dirty blond hair was pulled back into a greasy pony tail, and the dark circles under his eyes became even more prominent under the harsh kitchen light. He pulled a menacing grin, displaying his stained teeth from the years of coffee drinking and smoking, and wiped his greasy hands on his denim jeans that he hardly ever bothered to change.

"Come here," he ordered and I rigidly stood next to him. He wrapped his hands around me tightly and I could smell the scent of cheese crisps on his breath; it made me gag. His grip became incredibly strong and a small yelp escaped my lips without my control. He chucked me away with a dark laugh and I slammed against the kitchen counter, my hip catching the side with a painful blow.

"Make me something to eat, will you?" he said, sitting back down. I nodded slowly and began heating up the oven, moving without really think; it was like I was on autopilot. I felt completely exhausted, but knew I had to do as he said.

Half an hour later, I walked into the living room and placed the tray of food in front of him. After a quick scan of the contents, he wrinkled his nose in disgust and chucked the tray over onto the table. The food splattered everywhere, dropping onto the floor around us. I flinched and sat stiffly on the sofa, my shoulders tense and my hands trembling.

This was no way to live.

"I'm not hungry anymore," he shrugged and turned his attention back to the game.

"Okay," I whispered, even though it definitely wasn't.

We remained in silence for a long time, when suddenly I felt the anger boil within me, and I snapped. Today had been a significiant moment in my life and he hadn't even bothered to take an interest.

"Aren't you going to ask me how my first day was?" I asked, my voice loud and jerky.

Bad idea.

The look he gave me sent shivers down my spine and I knew I had crossed the wrong line. Again. He stepped towards me, casting a dark shadow over my shaking body. I braced myself for what was coming, but that didn't help, it never did; his fist connected violently with my cheek and my head jerked along with it. I gasped, clutching my stinging face as he seethed at me. My neck ached from the suddenly shock and shooting pains were travelling through my body relentlessly.

"You're a disgrace," he spat and I winced. "Do you think I actually give a shit? All you do is moan about yourself. 'Oh, it's my first day at work today!'" He put on a whiny voice that was nothing like my own. "Just shut the hell up!"

"I know," I breathed. "I know. I'm sorry."

"I told you before, but you never learn," he scalded. "You talk to me properly, is that understood?"

"Yes," I said in a whisper.

"What?" he shouted.

"Yes," I said in a louder but weak voice. I hated him, but his frightening nature made my body freeze. I was helpless, trapped in this hell.

"Good," he said, suddenly switching off the television and seizing my arm. "Lets go to bed."

* * *

Mark dropped me off at the hospital twenty minutes late the following day, which was pretty unacceptable. I couldn't say anything though; I definitely didn't want to make him angry. Again.

I had awoken early, not that I had much sleep anyway. Using this opportunity, I had spent half an hour with my mirror infront of me, desperately trying to disguise the ugly bruise he had given me. I _had_ deserved it, though, I knew that. It was my own fault.

I kept having to restart though; the tears which ran down my cheeks kept washing away the layers of concealer. It was as though the yellowy-purple mark wanted to taunt me constantly, reminding me of its presence.

"Thanks," I muttered as he halted suddenly outside the hospital. I took off my seatbelt and made to leave, but he grabbed my arm roughly.

"You behave yourself today, you hear me?" he ordered.

"Yes," I gasped, staring at my knees.

He treated me like a child. Or a doll. And I was too scared to do anything about it.

When he eventually released me, I stepped out of the truck as fast as I could and began walking towards the hospital, grateful for the escape. It was something, a place where I could escape reality, however brief it may be.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Last night my thoughts had been completely dominated by Bella. I couldn't control it; it was like I was... addicted.

It was shameful.

I kept finding myself longing to see her again, to make sure that I could place the picture of her wonderful face firmly in my memory. But, every time my thoughts led me this way, I would glance over at Esme and be swallowed with guilt. It was all completely wrong; I wasn't _allowed_ to feel this way. I was married.

The next day, I stood in my office, blankly reading a book about the nervous system. It was appropriate, really, considering the way that I was feeling at that moment; I knew that I was going to see Bella again sometime today, and the thought sent my normally calm nerves into a frenzy.

I stared out the window and noticed, with surprise, the very woman of my thoughts stepping out of an old truck. When I looked closer, in the driving seat I could see another figure staring intensely after her. She slammed the door behind her with some force and began walking towards the building, her arms wrapped around her body. It might have just been the way she was moving, but I could have sworn that she was shaking.

The truck revved loudly and disappeared off into the distance, smoke shooting from the exhaust pipe. I slowly turned my head back to the book, but my thoughts were already off the text. Who was that person with Bella? Did she have a partner? That would make everything so much worse.

Was I feeling _jealous_? No, I couldn't be. I was just overreacting. We'd only just met, for goodness' sake.

I glanced quickly at my watch and stood up, leaving my book open, and began pacing up and down the small room. I couldn't understand why I was acting so strangely... maybe the stress was becoming too much after all.

But I wasn't human. I could hope with abnormal levels of stress.

I sighed and, after running my fingers through my hair, I set to work as a patient walked through my door.

The requirement for distractions was even higher than ever.

* * *

A few hours later, I walked down a corridor on my own, quietly thinking to myself. It was all I seemed to do these days.

My rapid thoughts turned back to what would happen if I faced my feelings and actually told Esme. I could just picture the heartbreak flooding her face, and the look in her eyes as she walked away from me...

My disturbing thoughts were interrupted, though, when I suddenly heard the beautiful sound of a piano and someone's singing fill my ears. I continued following the sound, using my powerful sense of hearing and, when I reached its source, I felt all my emotions overpowering me once more.

I found myself standing in the doorway of Bella Swan's office. She was sat at her desk, her hair pulled up into a messy yet impossibly attractive pony tail, and she was completely surrounded by paper work. She had her stereo on and was singing along to the current song playing. Her voice was beautifully sweet; she sung in harmony with the song and tapped her foot gently on the floor. I couldn't help smiling at the sight and gazed in fascination as she chewed on the end of her pen lid. That shouldn't have driven me crazy, but I found myself almost staggering on the spot. When I looked closer, I saw that her eyes were, again, full of some hidden emotion; after some closer observation, I saw that she looked heartbreakingly upset and I struggled to resist the urge to walk in and comfort her.

Instead, I stood still and watched as she gazed wistfully out of the window. The song which was playing ended abruptly and she sighed heavily, pressing a button so that the song would rewind and repeat. She sang along with it again, just as wonderfully as before, and I found myself enthralled. No one had ever had this effect on me before.

Why was this happening?

I stared ahead, listening to her voice with the sad lyrics now staying poignantly in my mind. I began quietly humming along and started in surprise when she suddenly looked over in my direction with her brilliant brown eyes. I considered ducking out of her view, but realised that it would look even more suspicious.

She jumped, clearly startled, and quickly flicked off the stereo. I watched as her cheeks flushed an irresistible pink and I slowly stepped into the room. I felt incredibly guilty, watching something I wasn't supposed to, but was also glad that her magnificent eyes were finally on me. I coughed awkwardly.

"I'm sorry," I apologised. "I couldn't help hearing the song; I'm really quite fond of it."

She smiled briefly and looked down out of what appeared to be shame. "It's one of my favourites."

I watched as she seemed to deliberately avoid my gaze. Had I done something wrong? "I heard you singing along."

She flushed an even deeper pink and placed her hands carefully to her face in embarrassment. "Oh _great_..." she cringed.

"No, no, no," I said hastily. "You have a lovely voice." She looked at me for a fraction of a second, doubt clear in her expression.

"Thanks," she eventually murmured, gathering her papers away.

It disturbed me that she was facing away from me; I wanted to see her beautiful face again... I'd just have to do something to gain her attention.

"How's your day been going?"

As she quickly turned around to momentarily face me, my initial reaction was one of triumph, but it soon dawned on me exactly _why_ she didn't want me to see her.

Less sensitive eyes wouldn't have been able to notice; she had clearly tried to disguise it with some products. Most people probably wouldn't ask in this hospital, but my eyes were twice as powerful as humans, and I could clearly see the purple bruise on her cheek.

I didn't want to make her paranoid, but I found that I _needed _to know what had happened; I felt immediately concerned. I hesitated and opened my mouth to speak, but then remembered with a jolt.

Yesterday, Bella had fallen down the stairs and slammed into me.

It was _my_ fault.

I had hurt her.

As the realisation hit me, I felt disgusted with myself. This beautiful, innocent woman was hurt because of _me... _the monster. Sure, I might have saved her from serious injury, but I'd caused_ this_ because of my intervention.

I quickly walked out of the room and stormed down the corridor without a second thought. I couldn't hurt her any longer. I'd just have to avoid her; I couldn't face damaging any more of her fragile body.

What was I becoming? I thought it was safe to work amongst humans, but I was clearly wrong. I was a hazard; I caused people pain rather than healing their injuries. When I tried to help, it went wrong...

I sat down at my desk, my head whirling around in guilt. Perhaps I was over-reacting, but I felt a physical ache in my still heart because of what I had done. I had caused her _pain_... even though it was allan accident.

I was still for a very brief moment, then shot back upwards, heading swiftly towards the reception. I'd have to rearrange my hours to when she wasn't working. That was the only way I could avoid harming her again, even if it meant sacrificing the opportunity to see the one person who genuinely made me smile.

_**Bella's POV**_

Seeing Dr Cullen had made my heart stammer uncontrollably once more. It was like he was a God of some sort, perfect in every way, as cheesy as that sounded. I couldn't look at him, though; I felt ashamed and deeply embarrassed. I'd been regularly told that my singing wasn't exactly brilliant, so I'd probably made his ears bleed or something.

After I met his eyes for a fraction of a second, though, I watched with confusion as Dr Cullen suddenly whirled out of the room in the blink of an eye, leaving me completely dazed and still as a statue. My heart continued to hammer violently in my chest and I stopped as I realised what had happened.

He must have seen my bruise.

_No_... I thought I'd covered it up pretty well...

I reached for my bag and produced a mirror. I looked at my face in the reflection and saw that it was completely free of any sign of the bruise. Frowning, I heaved a sigh and my thoughts flickered to what else I could have done to make him leave so abruptly.

Maybe he thought I was ignoring him... I hadn't really locked any eye contact with him during our brief conversation; perhaps he thought I disliked him.

My heart went cold.

I wasn't a mean person... I didn't want to give him the wrong impression.

I hastily led my aching head on the cold desk and felt all my worries take over. This job was all a big mistake. In the space of two short days I had managed to fall down some stairs_ and_ make someone as wonderful as Dr Cullen dislike me. I _was_ a disgrace. Mark was right.

The reality dawned on me and my chest heaved as painful sobs escaped from my lips without any warning. I shook violently as the tears trailed down my cheek, stinging my raw bruise when they ran down it.

Was anything ever going to go right?


	4. Four

**My Hero**

_Chapter Four_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

The day had been an extremely long one and I sat at my desk, mindlessly filling in some paperwork and desperately trying to focus on my task. It was difficult, though, with Bella on my mind all the time. I felt extreme guilt burn through me but, deep down, I also felt the need to see her face again. To hear her voice, see her wonderful brown eyes; I wanted her to be pleased to see me...

I shook my head forcibly and reminded myself why such thoughts were forbidden. If I saw her again, I'd probably end up hurting her; that would break me apart. And I had a wife and family. Surely they were more important?

After wasting my efforts at concentration, I placed my pen down on the desk with considerable force and exhaled heavily. This was all becoming _very_ difficult.

Earlier, I had tried to reschedule my appointments and working hours after what had happened, but the receptionist had politely told me that it was impossible. I had managed to compose my face at that moment and somehow smiled at her, but when I headed back to my office I felt all my disgust and anger at myself boil over.

There hadn't been this much on my mind for decades. It was disorientating, distracting and...

I half wanted somebody to erase my thoughts and memories. But then, the idea of forgetting Bella was oddly painful.

Snapping out of that idea, I glanced at the clock; luckily, my shift was over. Maybe it'd be good to get out of here. Going home to my family could put everything into perspective.

When I shut the office door, I was a fraction more optimistic.

_**Bella's POV**_

Maybe I just shouldn't talk to anyone at all. I never knew I had such an effect on people. Perhaps my behaviour was the reason why Mark... I sighed, my thoughts trailing off.

No. That was ridiculous.

As I travelled down the busy road in my truck (which Mark had strangely dropped off at the hospital; perhaps he didn't want to see my face or something like that), I noticed a fairly large queue of cars forming ahead, and I groaned heavily. A traffic jam –_ just_ what I needed.

My truck ground to a halt and I flicked on my radio out of frustration. A familiar, soothing song began playing and I felt my tense body relax. I sunk back against the chair and waited for the cars to clear, carefully shielding my thoughts from Dr Cullen. I couldn't form a strong enough wall, though, for it soon began to crumble and his face began flooding back into my mind. Did he really think of me as a bad person? Maybe he'd just gotten a bad impression of me. Surely that could be corrected?

I closed my eyes and longed for the traffic to disappear.

**-MH-**

Half an hour later and I was, ridiculously, only a few more metres from the hospital. This was enough to make anybody's blood boil. I gripped the steering wheel tightly, my nails digging into the tough fabric, and glanced at the other cars travelling down the driveway; I felt sorry for them having to enter this blockage.

The frustration slowly disappeared and became replaced with gradual fear as some realisation kicked in; Mark didn't like it when I was late home...

My cheek prickled and I touched my cheek instinctively; it was still sore and tender. I sighed and looked out of the window, completely and utterly bored, mixed together with a bundle of anxiety. I wanted to slip away to sleep and escape from what was happening, but it was that moment when I saw the sleek black Mercedes which contained a very pale Dr Cullen pulling up opposite me.

My heart hammered instinctively and I looked away jerkily, half relieved with being able to see him and half desperately wishing to move forward.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

As I headed out of the hospital, clutching my bag of work which I had to finish at home, I noticed a large traffic jam forming outside of the grounds. I sighed heavily and considered running home, but I did need the time to think, and I didn't particular like leaving my car in the hospital, so I dismissed the idea quickly.

I dumped my paperwork carelessly into the back seat and sat down, starting up the engine. I edged out of the driveway and progressed slowly forward, my eyes staring forward all the time but my thoughts journeying several miles away.

I looked up after a slow twenty minutes and my thoughts cleared with sudden shock; in her familiar truck ahead of me was Bella Swan.

Please _no_...

I felt a strange pleasure that I wanted to ignore as I edged my car forward and stopped it on the opposite lane to her. She was inches away from me in her truck and I was failing to control the urge to look at her.

I watched as she began rubbing her cheek and I looked down guiltily – it seemed like I couldn't avoid the pain I had caused her. I began staring at my hands, willing my eyes to stay away from hers. I didn't last very long, though, and my eyes were dragged towards hers and we locked eye contact for a long moment. My body became completely tense and absorbed.

Her face seemed troubled again, like it always was, and I looked away, startled by the intensity and guilt. I pretended to gaze ahead, trying to ignore the uncontrollable desire to look in her direction.

This was almost unbearable.

_**Bella's POV**_

We stared at each other for a time that I couldn't even begin to measure; my mind was too preoccupied to think of anything but him. He looked back at me, his face full of a strangely sad and regretful expression, and he instantly glanced ahead, leaving me unsatisfied. I wanted him to keep looking at me... this irrational thought shocked me and my mind flickered back to Mark and his fist connecting with my jaw. What would he say if he knew my feelings? Worse still, what would he _do_?

I shuddered and moved my own gaze forward, trying to ignore the beautiful man inches away from me.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I stared ahead for a long while, but my eyes were pulled back eventually, landing once more on her glorious face. To my despair, she was looking away this time, and a wave of frustration flew through me. I knew I should be trying to avoid her, but this experience had made me realise that I couldn't. Considering everything that had happened in the past few minutes; the aching and longing to be near her, the need to see her eyes on mine, I suddenly knew I couldn't function without her.

I didn't even _know _her yet; I've hardly spoken to her... why_ was_ that? Maybe I should try and get to know her and-

But then my feelings would escalate and grow out of control; I knew that.

I thought back to Esme and realised that she'd be waiting worriedly for me. I felt my face fall and sighed heavily; I couldn't let my children down because of my ridiculous feelings. Then again, they weren't ridiculous; Bella Swan was something special.

I groaned internally; my thoughts were flowing in endless circles. I was making decisions, convincing myself that I was right and then feeling guilty again, changing my mind. It was enough to drive me insane.

I stole another glance at her and watched as she peeked casually at me from the corner of her eye. Well, at least that's what I thought I saw. Maybe I was imagining it... but when I saw her cheeks flush a beautiful pink, I knew that it _was_ real and I smiled, but watched unhappily as her eyes darted away again. Even though she did that, the brief moment when her eyes had landed on mine pushed away my troubles and worries. I longed for it to happen again.

The traffic ahead suddenly disappeared and I unwillingly drove past, glancing back subtly in the mirrors as she grew smaller behind me.

_**Bella's POV**_

Dr Cullen was most definitely ignoring me; once the traffic dissolved, he drove ahead speedily, leaving me behind in the jam. I watched as his wonderful car became a black dot in the distance and eventually disappeared. My heart involuntarily throbbed and I felt alone all over again.

The cars eventually dispersed around me and I drove forward, heading back home with my heart hammering nervously all the way.

All of me hoped this wouldn't become a daily routine.

I quietly closed the door behind me and tried to sneak upstairs to get some rest; I was completely exhausted from a tough day and really needed _sleep_. More than that, I longed for the escape.

Just as I thought I was safe, though, my foot landed on the one creaky step and the sound echoed throughout the quiet house, betraying me. A few seconds later, Mark's booming voice filled my ears.

"Bella?" he said in a taunting voice. "Get in here, _now_."

It was best to do as he said, so I turned obediently on the stairs, nearly losing my balance and tumbling down to the bottom. My arms shook against my sides as I walked slowly downwards and opened the door to face him. He looked even more terrifying than this morning, if that were really possible.

"You're late," he stated, and I remained frozen. His lips curled into a horrific smile.

"You know I hate it when you're late home..." His fingertips trailed along my neck and I held my breath, waiting for the moment they would tighten. "Don't you?"

I nodded frantically, close to begging him. "I-"

"Ssh." His clammy hand moved to cover my mouth and I stifled a cry. "Don't you say another word."

I could feel him staring at me but kept my eyes off his, afraid of the evil I might see.

"Tell you what, get upstairs," he ordered. I didn't move. Couldn't move. "_Now_."

He pulled me up with him when he saw that I was still and I hated his urgency.

_Please, _please _don't hurt me._

_**Carlisle's POV**_

"Hi Dad!"

I was greeted by Alice, our youngest adopted child, as I stepped through the doorway, and a smile somehow returned to my face as she hugged me. It soon disappeared as everyone else came to join me, including Esme, and I hoped she didn't notice how rigid I'd become.

"Hello," I replied quietly, looking at the floor and scanning the wood. I walked over to the sofa and sat down, with everyone following after me.

"How was your day?" Esme asked caringly; I avoided eye contact with her out of guilt.

"A bit stressful," I sighed, closing my eyes. _It was the truth._ I felt her arm on my shoulder and I winced away involuntarily, something I was doing a lot lately. I hoped no one would be too observant.

I opened my eyes after a while and everyone around us had disappeared, resuming their own activities. I sighed with relief; they were apparently oblivious to my actions.

Esme held me closer and I sat stiffly, trying to think of an excuse to leave. Any excuse.

What was I turning into?

However, she suddenly began talking to me in a cautious, quiet tone. I began to wonder if there was another reason for everyone's departure; perhaps for some privacy? Some time alone to talk?

"Carlisle?" she asked in a low voice. I reluctantly turned to face her and the look in her golden eyes made me panic; she looked very troubled, probably a reflection of my own face.

I thought of Bella.

"Carlisle?" she repeated, in a harder tone. "Is something... bothering you?"

It struck me how observant she was after all. Then again, my actions must have been very obvious and clear. It was too difficult to conceal everything constantly.

"What makes you think that?" I asked after a long pause, avoiding the question.

She shrugged. "You just don't seem very happy of late..."

I contemplated telling her the truth at that precise moment. It would remove myself out of my misery...

But then _Esme _would be heartbroken and what it would do to my _family?_ It would be completely selfish and everybody would be affected. My thoughts froze with indecision.

I had already been lying to her, though, more lies couldn't hurt, surely? Then again, I was being incredibly disrespectful treating her like this...

I sighed in desperation. Should I tell her the shameful truth, or lie once more? Unsure of what to do, I took another deep breath and waited for the right words to flow out.


	5. Five

**My Hero**

_Chapter Five _

(One Month Later)

_**Bella's POV**_

My eyes forced themselves open and, gradually, my senses came back to me. I could see the dim light coming through the old curtains and smell the rotten stench of last night's takeaway. I could feel Mark's warm arms locked around me and the pain which shot through my legs and arms was excruciating. I didn't want to see what sort of bruises I had this time around.

He'd been a lot worse for the past month, ever since I came home late after the traffic jam four weeks ago. It felt like such a long time since that had happened and it was like it had triggered something in him.

I'd barely seen Dr Cullen since then.

Mark was becoming more violent and, as a result, the fatigue which attacked me was relentless, and I took many days off work from sickness.

I desperately wanted to do something to get back onto good grounds with Dr Cullen. The frustration of being unable to do so was enough to make me want to cry.

I was pinned down to the bed and staring out at the darkness, with tears trailing desperately down my cheeks. I had to go into work today, but I felt sore all over. Thinking of how rough he was last night was enough to-

It was then that I felt a sudden pressure on my stomach out of nowhere. I desperately untangled myself from Mark's grip and rushed for the bathroom, tripping along the way. My hands gripped the cold toilet seat as my body shook and nausea rushed through me. I retched and shuddered, feeling completely exhausted and drained after vomiting up the contents of my empty stomach.

What he was doing physically sickened me.

I staggered upwards, washing my mouth out with water and examined my reflection in the mirror. My eyes trailed downwards to the fresh, purple bruises on my pale skin and I winced in disgust. The worst area was my legs, closely followed by my arms... but I _did _deserve it; I was late home that one time, after all.

But surely he'd gotten over that now?

To stop myself from thinking much further, I opened a cabinet and began fishing through my makeup to do the usual covering up job. I was half asleep and felt dizzy with illness, but I persisted onwards, pasting over the ugly marks.

When I'd finished, I put everything carefully back into their right places. Just as I was about to close the door, though, I caught sight of an unused pack of sanitary towels and stood there staring for a very long time.

When had my last period been?

I sat on the toilet seat, thinking to myself desperately. I genuinely couldn't remember my last cycle and it was enough to make my body shake.

Maybe I was just getting forgetful?

But suddenly my body ran cold as the memories from that one night came flooding back. After I came back from the jam, Mark had been angry and led me up to the bedroom. Then he'd...

I clutched my stomach instinctively, feeling horrified. After a moment of shock, I rushed out to get changed, without bothering him, and headed out towards the pharmacy.

How had I been so stupid? I was a doctor for Christ's sake.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I can still remember the night Esme and I broke up a month ago very clearly in my memory. It kept replaying several times each day, and I couldn't stop it.

_She continued looking at me expectantly and I felt the truth ready to escape. Surely I could tell her? It would save so much pain and I could finally be the honest man I'd prided myself on in the past._

_I took a deep breath and the words flowed out._

_"Esme-" I began, "I... I... it's really hard for me to tell you this, but..." I sighed. "I don't feel... the same way about you anymore."_

_I stared at my hands as I continued, wincing along the way. "I'm sorry, but I... I can't ignore it anymore..." I glanced upwards and her face was full of heartbreak. I tried to contain the guilt boiling away, but couldn't manage it._

_"I'm living a lie, Esme," I added helplessly._

_She said nothing for a long time and then suddenly raised her dead eyes to mine. The look in them would stay with me for the rest of my life._

_"There's someone else," she stated and I frowned, completely surprised._

_"No... _no_," I lied. "I would never do that to you, you know that!"_

_"Wouldn't you?" she snapped, standing up abruptly._

_"Esme," I said desperately. "Please, I didn't want it to end this way! Can we at least still be friends?" No response. "Please… please don't act like this."_

_She turned away from me. "What about our children?" Her voice was quiet and broken and I felt another stab of guilt. I could see her shoulders shaking as she sobbed invisible tears. "Our adopted children who we took in and loved as a clan? You made me what I am and now you've done _this_!"_

_None of us said anything for a long time and I heard the distant rustle of the leaves blowing in the wind._

_"I'm leaving, Carlisle, I'm clearly not wanted around her anymore," she said in a cold voice, throwing her hands up in the air. "You can sort out this mess yourself! It'll be interesting to see how you cope."_

_Before I could reply, she was running away from me, darting out into the forest at lightning speed. I remained motionless, completely dazed, when Alice and Edward entered the room._

_"Carlisle," Alice breathed with a pained face, "what's going on?" _

_**Bella's POV**_

I sat back on the toilet seat, waiting impatiently for the test to display its results. I wrinkled my nose at the stale odour of my vomit, but sat still, feeling anxious beyond belief. I just prayed Mark wouldn't walk in now...

When I'd bought the product at the pharmacy, the woman behind the counter had actually asked me if I was okay. That meant that I must have looked wildly erratic and dazed, mainly because I_ was_.

I couldn't _believe_ this was happening.

The colour slowly began to develop on the stick and I stood up in anticipation. As I glanced down at the result, I felt everything slowly crumble around me. I blinked several times, checking my eyesight and, not wanting to believe it, I tried another test.

It was the same result.

_No_, this couldn't be happening... not now... not with _him..._

The positive pregnancy test in my hand fell to the floor, joining the other one and clattering against the tiles.

"No..." I whispered, slowly sinking down the wall onto the floor. "_No..._"

I sat cross legged on the tiles, my body shaking with hysteria. Why hadn't I suspected something before? All the signs were there...

I was pregnant, with Mark's child.

With _Mark's_ child.

How had this _happened_?

I began crying uncontrollably, already considering the impossible choices I had to make. Should I tell him and risk him becoming angry and violent? Or should I keep it a secret and wait to see what happens?

I couldn't abort it... that was never even an option. Killing innocent life, it made me shiver. All life was special, even if it was created by him.

If he knew and didn't like it, though... I shuddered uncontrollably.

If he didn't know and eventually found out...

I didn't know what to do; I had never felt so alone in my entire life.

I suddenly felt an intense longing to see Dr Cullen – when I was around him my troubles seemed to melt away and seem so insignificant. But then again, I wasn't entirely sure if he liked me, and risking seeing him would probably cause me more pain. It would be even more raw considering the time we'd been apart.

I stood slowly up and looked at myself in the mirror. I began to control my breathing and headed out the bathroom to get changed for work. Maybe it could help me ignore my troubles.

_Maybe_.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

_I stood frozen on the spot, my eyes travelling from each face. Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper had followed after Edward and Alice, and now I felt slightly intimidated, surrounded by all these expectant faces._

_I couldn't do anything but tell them the truth; it wouldn't be wise to spin another web of lies._

_"E-Esme and I have... we've separated," I said quietly and waited for the onslaught._

_Rosalie was the first to speak. "What? Why?" Her face was angry and full of disbelief._

_Alice had her eyes closed, her ability to see the future coming into play, and she suddenly whispered, "Wait, I see Esme running away... where's she going?"_

_"Why, Carlisle?" Edward asked, his eyes on me. "I thought you loved her! We only talked about this a few weeks ago and you said everything was fine."_

_"Aw man, Carlisle!" Emmett groaned. "You were good together! What went wrong?"_

_I closed my eyes and breathed slowly. I reopened them and saw Alice's hand on my shoulder, her face sympathetic._

_"I... I just don't feel the same way about her anymore," I admitted, staring at the pattern on the wallpaper. "I told her that... and she... she left. Without any warning. I don't know what she's going to do."_

_Everyone around me relaxed slightly and Jasper spoke. He'd clearly used his own ability to calm everybody, despite the circumstances._

_"You did the right thing," he sighed. "You couldn't just stay with someone you no longer love."_

_I didn't say anything; I couldn't produce any words. It was Rosalie who made me look up._

_"Is there someone else?" she said, her voice accusing and angry._

_I stared at her, unwilling to speak. Could I tell them? Would they trust me?_

_"I don't know," I said quietly, heading towards the door. "I'm sorry, I'm going to work."_

_"In this state?" Alice said, following me. "Surely you wouldn't be able to concentrate!"_

_I shrugged on my coat. "I need something to take my mind off everything."_

_I disappeared out the door, knowing there was another stronger reason why I was heading towards the hospital. It had felt like Bella had been avoiding me for a long time now and I was determined to see her this time._

_It never happened, though. She was off ill and my mood plummetted into new lows._

_**Bella's POV**_

I stepped into the hospital, my mind on nothing but my unborn child. I was pretty sure that I was pregnant; my medical training had ensured that, now that I took everything into consideration. I'd have to book an appointment with a doctor... strange, considering I was one myself. I'd have to buy all the baby clothes, gather savings, adjust my whole life...

Our house wasn't in the right state for a child; it would be too dangerous.

And what would Mark do? Surely he wouldn't _hit_ our own child, like he does to me?

Everything was just wrong.

I sat down at my desk, grateful that nobody was bothering me today. I just wanted to get on with my work, take my mind off all my problems.

I needed, most of all, to see Dr Cullen today. We hadn't seen each other for way too long and I was determined to make things right today. It was like a hole was in my life and his presence would make everything better.

I gripped the desk tightly with my hands and fought back the tears which were gathering in my tired eyes. If someone saw me now, it would cause all sorts of gossip. Everybody already knew that I was fragile but this-

It was then that the man I'd been waiting for knocked at my door. He looked tired and troubled, but spoke to me in an irresistible voice. The shock of seeing him after all that time took my breath away and I just stared at him.

"Sorry to bother you, Miss Swan," he smiled, completely unaffected. "Are you free to assist me with a patient?"

_**Carlisle's POV**_

As soon as I saw her, my mind began racing. I knew that I'd done the right thing a month ago leaving Esme and the guilt of it all faded. I realised just how beautiful she was, and our time apart had intensified my feelings. It confused me, however, that she was clutching onto the desk with a distressed expression on her face. It seemed that nothing had changed in the four weeks for her.

I desperately needed to see her after the tough times at home; my sons and daughters had all taken it differently and I found myself just wanting to be in her company. On my way to the hospital I'd devised a plan to make contact with her, without fail. I was extremely lucky that a patient had approached me, and I happened to need an extra pair of hands...

She seemed bewildered at first, and then smiled shyly. Her hands relaxed and she placed them on her lap. I watched her every move.

"Yes," she eventually said, while standing up to face me. "I'd be happy to."

As she approached me I saw her beautiful eyes in the light and I staggered back slightly. It made me happier than it should do that she was assisting me, but I couldn't stop myself. Her presence was... intoxicating.

I'd missed this.

She stepped out into the corridor with me and I found myself allured by her wonderful scent. It was the most wonderful thing I'd smelt for a long time, and I couldn't help following her closely. I heard her heart fluttering erratically, and, when I glanced at her, her eyes were on the floor. I noticed how she was wearing longer clothing today; this shouldn't have annoyed me, but I found myself aggravated that I couldn't see more of her beautiful, clear skin. I shook my head and focused on where I was walking.

"Long time no see," I suddenly said to her and she glanced over, smiling.

"Yeah, anyone would think we've been avoiding each other."

I chuckled, loving the sound of her voice and its affect on me._ Absence makes the heart grow fonder... _"Weren't you away for sometime? Was there something wrong?"

I feared that I was being too personal, but she seemed unaffected. "I was unwell. But I'm good, now. I think."

She seemed incredibly uncertain, but I let it go and led her into a room, watching as she examined my patient. Her face was full of concern and concentration; it took me a few seconds to realise that I was staring. I blinked several times and sat opposite her, the tension building unbearably.

She looked up at me and I felt my body ache for her.

"I think she has concussion," she said, standing up. "What about you?"

I tried my hardest to focus on the patient. "Yes, I agree." I spoke to the lady in question. "I advise that you stay here over night, to avoid any further injury. It's merely a precaution."

I smiled at her and my eyes dragged up towards Bella, who was writing something on some paper. I watched as her eyes squinted while she wrote; I could see her lips pressing together as she concentrated.

I pulled my eyes away; it was too difficult to work with her around, she was driving me crazy... in an _unbelievably_ good way.

"I'll just get some pillows for you," Bella said, and she walked out the room before I could say anything else. I ached for her to return as soon as she disappeared, and I gently helped the lady lie down on the bed to distract myself. She was looking at me quizzically.

"Ask her," she said, smiling widely.

"I'm sorry?" I asked, completely taken aback.

"It's clear that you have feelings for her, that other doctor, I mean," the lady said, gently sitting back. Bella returned with the pillows and gently placed them behind the woman's head. Sometimes, old women were just too observant, or were my actions that obvious? She winked and closed her eyes, leaving Bella and I standing beside each other. She coughed nervously.

"Shall we go for a c-coffee?" I suggested, knowing too well that I wasn't going to be drinking anything.

She looked at me, her face full of surprise. "Sure, that would be great. We could, uh... catch up?"

I smiled. "That sounds perfect."

_**Bella's POV**_

I was still in disbelief when Dr Cullen placed a cup of coffee in front of me; perhaps he liked me after all. He sat down opposite, keeping his eyes on me. I offered him a smile, which he returned.

"Aren't you having anything?" I asked, as he placed his hands on the table, twiddling his thumbs.

"No, I'm not thirsty," he smiled, and my heart began to race. He'd brought me here for _my_ own needs? I struggled to keep the smile off my face.

I wondered if I should ask him about his worries; the troubled look had just returned to his face and it was bothering me. I took a deep breath and began blowing on my drink.

"How have you been, lately?" I asked, and he looked up with a raised eyebrow. "We don't seem to have spoken much."

"I've been alright, thank you," he answered slowly.

"Are you sure?" I persisted, without thinking. "You, uh, just seem a bit upset sometimes..."

He seemed surprised for a moment and I wondered if I'd overstepped the mark of friendly chat. I held my breath and watched as he exhaled.

"I've... I've just broken up with my wife a month or so ago," he said, keeping his eyes on the table. I knew that I shouldn't feel secretly thrilled, but that wouldn't stop me.

"Oh, I'm sorry to hear that," I said quietly, locking eye contact as he looked up at me. His eyes were golden and shimmering in the light.

"Thank you," he replied, looking down. He opened his plump mouth to speak. "What about you? How have things been? If you don't mind me saying, you seem troubled today."

I swallowed the hot coffee too quickly in surprise and coughed as the liquid travelled down my throat. He looked towards me in concern and I waved my hands around wildly.

"Sorry, sorry," I gasped. "Throat... _burning..._"

He laughed. "That's why I stay away from coffee."

He chuckled to himself, as if it were some personal joke. I smiled, listening to the sound of his laughter. This moment was so perfect; we were getting along, despite what had happened before with the traffic jam, surely I couldn't ruin it with my problems... but then again, sharing them with someone like him would make me feel so much better...

"I..."

Would it be too much to say, seeing as we'd barely talked?

I paused, wondering what I was going to say next.


	6. Six

**My Hero**

_Chapter Six_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I watched as she stared at the table, slowly swirling the coffee in the cup with her hands. The tension was overpowering and I longed to know what she was struggling to say. I didn't want to force her, though; I was still surprised that she was keeping company with me. I was dangerous, but all thoughts of what I could do disappeared from my mind as I gazed forward at her thoughtful face.

"I..." she opened her mouth and closed it again, laughing nervously. The sound was like beautiful music and I closed my eyes briefly, savouring it.

She looked up to meet my eyes when I opened them, and I was entranced.

"I'm..." she breathed. "I _think_ I'm… p-pregnant."

I couldn't say anything for a few moments; I just stared at her in disbelief. That was certainly the very _last_ thing that I'd expected.

While I was caught up in my thoughts, I hadn't remembered her partner; it seemed that things were becoming pretty serious now. I couldn't control the jealousy which overwhelmed me, but deep down I wanted to feel happy for her.

So I tried.

"That's-" I began, completely lost for words. "That's great news, Bella, congratulations."

My words sounded monotonous and dead to me, probably because I didn't mean them at all. I couldn't help myself; I didn't _like_ Bella being with anyone else, which was completely wrong. I didn't know why; I knew I was just being selfish and irrational. Her soft voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Thanks," she whispered, and there was a tone to her reply which made me speak.

"You don't sound very pleased..." I said quietly, making her look up. Her eyes were troubled, as usual.

"I... I'm just not sure if I'm p-prepared-" she shrugged, hiding her eyes as she sipped at her drink. Her voice was quivering and she sounded scared. I didn't think about my actions, I just reached out to grab her hand, something I'd been longing to do ever since we first met. She jerked back slightly, probably because of the coldness, but eventually relaxed, and the shock disappeared from her face. Her hand felt wonderfully warm against mine and the sparks of tension shooting between us was making it extremely hard for me to focus.

This was getting deep.

_**Bella's POV**_

I was half aware of the other people in the room staring at us, but I didn't care. His hand felt amazing against mine, despite the shivers it made pass through my body, and his presence was melting away my troubles. I felt better already.

"If..." he hesitated. "If you need any help, I'm always here," he said sincerely, with blazing, compassionate eyes. "I know it's difficult, but you'll cope. I have five adopted children, I should know."

He said the words with such confidence that, for a moment, I truly believed in myself. But then, the real trouble came bubbling through and I sat back, his hand falling away from mine. He sat back too, mirroring my actions. I stole a glance at his face; he seemed to be hiding something from me and I immediately wanted to know what.

I glanced quickly at the clock and frowned; we'd spent nearly an hour talking there. The time had flown by so quickly; when I talked to Dr Cullen it was like we were in our own personal bubble and I didn't want it to be penetrated.

"Ah, we'd better get back to work," I sighed, reluctantly standing up. I swayed slightly on the spot as the blood rushed to my head. With lightning speed, he was by my side, his arms on my shoulders steadying me. My heart thudded uncontrollably at his touch, a reaction he always seemed to cause.

"Are you alright?" he asked hastily, his grip tight and protective.

"Yeah, sorry," I stammered. "I just tood up too quickly." I laughed weakly and he let go of me, to my dismay. There was an awkward pause.

"Well thank you for the coffee, Dr Cullen," I smiled, heading slowly towards the door with him. People were still staring and I wanted to flick a rude hand gesture towards them.

"It was no problem," he smiled beautifully. "And please, call me Carlisle."

I didn't know why I was secretly thrilled as he said these words, but it was hard to control the smile on my face. The way his name rolled off his tongue was something quite special and I wanted to say it out loud myself.

Instead of doing this, we walked out into the corridor and stood still, ready to part ways.

"Well I hope your afternoon goes alright," I smiled hesitantly. He smiled slightly in response.

"Thank you." He paused, frowning slightly. "Please, Bella, take care of yourself."

His concerned words caught me by surprise and I stumbled mentally.

"Thank you, I'll try my best."

He smiled slightly again, the gesture not quite reaching his eyes, and then his face turned serious as he walked down the corridor, his white coat fanning behind him. I watched as he disappeared around the corner.

It surprised me how empty I felt as he moved out of my sight. I sighed and stepped towards my office, wondering if I was going to be graced with his presence again today.

It had certainly made me feel better. Momentarily.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

It was so hard just walking away from her; I wanted to stay by her side and comfort her for the rest of the day. But, I had to walk away as I didn't want to overstay my welcome. I'd probably end up scaring her again.

Although she did seem pretty comfortable with me around...

I sat down at my desk and found myself staring into space, my thoughts overtaking me once more.

I couldn't feel jealous; that was such an immature emotion to experience, yet I found myself wishing I could be in her partner's place. I knew it was impossible, in more ways than one, and this disturbed me slightly. It was also a very bold thing to be hoping for; we barely knew each other.

It shocked me how, not once during our conversation, had I thought of Esme. She was a huge part of my life for so long and now... now she didn't even claim one second of my thoughts. As I began some paperwork, I started to wonder where she was, considering we still hadn't heard from her, but then I thought back to Bella and what she was doing right now. She didn't seem pleased at all about her pregnancy; was it something to do with her partner? Or was she just not prepared, as she had said? It was definitely a worrying experience.

During the nine months, would she need any support, or would she not have time for me? The thought made me panic; not seeing Bella made me feel strangely nervous.

I sighed; all this worrying wasn't doing me any good, yet I was only concerned for Bella and needed to see her again. There was so much more I needed to ask her.

I impulsively retrieved my mobile and phoned home.

"Hello?" Alice's bright voice answered.

"Hi Alice, it's Carlisle," I replied. "I'm just ringing to say-"

"Have you heard anything from Esme?" she interupted, and I felt a wave of dismay.

"No," I replied. "Sorry."

There was a long silence and I heard her spreading the news to the others. I spoke. "Alice, I'm going to be late home tonight. Lots of... work has come up."

I felt bad lying, but couldn't tell her the truth just yet. That was even if my plans_ went _according to plan.

"Oh, alright," her voice sounded disappointed.

"Try not to worry too much about Esme," I soothed. "She can take care of herself."

"But it's been a month without any news... and I can't see her anymore," she said quietly.

"I know. It'll get better."

She didn't reply, probably because she was unconvinced.

"I'll see you later, Alice."

"Okay. Bye, Carlisle."

I hung up and pondered for a moment. Then, I took in a deep breath and headed towards Bella's ward. I just hoped she was going to say yes after going to all this trouble.

_**Bella's POV**_

I _had_ to tell Mark. It was the only way to remove some of my worry. He had a right to know, anyway. He was the father of my child; he would _want_ to know.

Well, at least I thought he would.

However he reacted would be _fine, _though. I'd just have to deal with it.

I nodded to myself and began to walk towards the door. I opened it and began to head out, when I suddenly bumped into Carlisle who was standing facing me in the doorway. A small gasp of shock escaped my lips as he steadied me.

"Oops," I gasped when he removed his hands from my shoulders. He smiled apologetically.

"I'm sorry for startling you," he frowned. "It must have seemed quite strange to see me loitering around your office." He winced after saying that, but added, "I just wanted to ask you something."

I nodded, feeling extremely expectant. It was a mere ten minutes since we'd last spoken, yet his words still relieved me greatly. We'd wasted too much time to get to know each other; we might as well make up for it.

As friends, of course.

"Well, I was wondering if you'd like to join me for dinner." I felt my eyes bulge in shock and he hastily added, "I just feel we have a lot to talk about, considering we haven't been in contact for a month." He looked worried then, as though he'd said something wrong.

I slowly thought it through; it sounded like an amazing idea, but I didn't know if I had the courage to say yes.

Although... Mark was out overnight, and he wasn't expecting me home...

I had nothing to lose.

As a result, I smiled. "Yes. Yes, I'd love to, thank you."

His answering smile was glorious and he stepped beside me. "Right. That's great. Uh, shall I meet you here at six?"

I couldn't believe this was happening, but nodding enthusiastically. "Yes, that sounds great," I beamed. "Thank you."

He chuckled. "No problem, I shall look forward to it."

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I was _more _than just 'looking forward' to having dinner with Bella. I was _longing_ for it.

As I hesitantly looked at her, waiting for one of us to speak, I laughed nervously.

"Have a good day, then," I said, gesturing towards the corridor.

"Thank you," she smiled timidly. "And yourself."

Walking away was even tougher this time and I knew I had an unbearable wait on my hands.

The hours crawled by incredibly slowly, so much so that I couldn't even begin to concentrate on my patients, something which was completely out of character. Several times I had to ask for them to repeat what they were saying because my thoughts were so far away. It must have been irritating and worrying for them, and I apologised sincerely.

I was excited, yet anxious at the same time. I wasn't entirely sure what to say to Bella, but it seemed that, whenever I was in her presence, the words flowed out of me easily, like we had known each other all our lives. In my case, that would be centuries.

I didn't think much about the fact that I wasn't human when spending a lot of time with Bella. She was so fragile and I felt the uncontrollable need to protect her and to be in her company.

My thoughts were torturing me, yet I watched as the clock gradually ticked towards the end of our shifts.

* * *

At 6pm, I nearly ran towards Bella's ward with an uncontrollable need to see her, yet I managed to slow myself to a normal pace as I walked down the corridor. To my surprise, she was waiting outside and, when she glanced in my direction, a stunning smile spread across her face. She was making it even more difficult for me to even _think _about staying away from her. I knew I was in too deep now, my feelings towards her were escalating out of my control everyday.

"Hey," she said simply.

"Hello," I replied, reaching for her coat which was hung on the wall. I helped her place her arms into the sleeves and her beautiful scent shocked me as her hair swept around. How did she make it so smooth?

"Ready to go?" I asked, heading towards the door with enthusiasm.

"Yes," she smiled and I noticed with relief that she was a lot happier now. Could it possibly be something to do with _me_? I could only hope so.

I led her to my car and watched her carefully as she studied it.

"Wow, this is _amazing_," she said in approval, running her hands along the bonnet. I tried to hold back the wave of desire which passed through me as I watched her delicately stroking it.

"Thank you," I replied quietly, opening the door for her. She sat down carefully and I swiftly joined her behind the wheel. I watched as she made herself comfortable and placed on her seatbelt. Every single thing she did, no matter how small, had me staring at her uncontrollably.

She glanced over at me and smiled encouragingly as I started the engine.

"This car is so much quieter than mine," she commented, causing me to raise an eyebrow. "Every morning I practically wake all our neighbours up with my roaring engine. It's like a beast."

I smirked in amusement and drove out the parking lot. "It runs well though, doesn't it? That's the main thing."

"Yeah," she pondered. "I'm trying to save up for a new one, though."

I found myself immediately wanting to know more. "Good luck with that," I smiled. "The salary's reasonable at the hospital, you'll have a new car in no time."

I saw her looking at me from the corner of her eye; she was frowning.

"Yeah," she said, her voice strangely worried. "Though I need to be saving for this little one now." She patted her stomach and I felt a twinge of pain. I'd temporarily forgotten about her child.

"Are you sure you're-?" I didn't finish.

She nodded. "Pretty sure, although I'm gonna go for a scan in a few weeks."

I heard her sigh and stared straight ahead, heading towards the restaurant as more jealousy ate away at my insides. I tried not to dwell on that, though, because I had an evening ahead with Bella and that was most certainly something positive.


	7. Seven

**My Hero**

_Chapter Seven_

_**Bella's POV**_

It was a fairly long drive to the restaurant, but I didn't mind; spending this much time with Carlisle was some kind of blessing considering what I had to deal with at home. He seemed to have an aura which relaxed me and drew me in. Whether that was a good thing or not, I wasn't quite sure yet.

After ten minutes on the road, I noticed him looking at me from the corner of my eye. He hesitated awkwardly, gesturing towards the radio.

"Do you want some music on?" he asked, half focusing on the road, half focusing on me.

I smiled timidly and replied. "Feel free."

In a flash, music filled the car and, as a familiar song began to play, I found myself relaxing into the chair. I smiled, recognising the lyrics. After a while, I was mildly startled by Carlisle's voice.

"Do you like this song?" he asked, his head tilted towards me. His eyes seemed to sparkle and I was, once again, enthralled.

"Yes," I admitted with a smile. "It takes me back to my childhood." I sighed; my childhood – when everything was so easy and carefree. Children spend all their years looking forward to growing up and waiting to finish school, when really it's the most simple time of their life.

I could feel his eyes lingering on my face as I looked down at my lap; I couldn't meet his eyes. I'd surely give away what I was thinking.

"My daughter, Alice, likes this song," he replied, to my surprise, and I stared at him stupidly. I smiled, after a moment.

"She has good taste," I replied and he laughed.

"Maybe you'll meet her one day."

There was a strange edge to his voice which made me pause; did he _want_ me to meet his family for some reason?

"Did you and Esme have children, then...?" I asked curiously, carefully studying his reaction.

"No," he replied sadly. "Esme... couldn't have children so we adopted them." He smiled. "Alice is seventeen, along with Edward, then there's Rosalie, Emmett and Jasper who are eighteen."

I wondered why I was asking these questions, but I didn't stop. "Were they affected by your split with Esme?"

Once I'd said it, I felt incredibly nosey and blushed uncontrollably.

"I'm... I'm sorry, I'm becoming too personal here," I fiddled with my hands and to my surprise, he sighed.

"It's perfectly fine, Bella." I noticed the car had stopped. "They seem to be coping well, but... I suspect it's just a front."

I found myself facing towards him. "I'm sorry to hear about all this, Carlisle, I really am," I paused. "It can't be easy for you."

I looked at him sympathetically; it was clear that he was troubled and this disturbed me. I wanted to help him in any way that I possibly could.

"Thank you for your concern," he turned towards me. "And it's not easy, but I have to cope, for my family's sake."

He was such a good man... he didn't deserve to go through all this.

"I know you're probably blaming yourself," I said, causing him to look up. "But I also know that it's not your fault, Carlisle." God, I loved saying his name.

He gazed ahead, the dim light from the streetlight illuminating his beautiful face. It was impossible to take my eyes off him. I jumped back as he suddenly removed his seatbelt.

"I hope you're hungry," he smiled. I mirrored his actions and stepped out of the car, deep in my thoughts. It was strange how similar Carlisle actually was to me; he seemed to be one to put off his problems. I sighed for him and began walking by his side towards the restaurant.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

It intrigued me how incredibly selfless Bella was; she was clearly a little distressed by the fact that she was expecting a child, yet she comforted me about my own problems. She wasn't at all intrusive; in fact I _wanted _to share my thoughts with her. Once I did, I felt a strange sense of release, something I had always wanted to feel and hadn't really experienced before.

I opened the restaurant door open for her and she smiled gratefully, temporarily stunning me. I had truly _never_ seen a human so beautiful, and I'd certainly lived long enough.

Inside the building, everything was illuminated dimly with lights and I could hear the low hum of voices. It was rather busy today, something which frustrated me; I needed to have a fairly private conversation with Bella to, rather selfishly, put my mind at rest.

A waitress approached us as soon as we stepped through the door and she kindly led us to a small table towards the back of the room. Bella followed me as we walked past the other people; I glanced around to look at her and she was staring at the floor the whole way, avoiding everyone's gaze as we passed them. It surprised me how completely self conscious she was; someone as beautiful as her should be full of confidence... but then again Bella always seemed to surprise me.

We reached our table and I pulled out her chair as she sat down and gently pushed her towards the table. I then took my seat and exhaled shakily. _What was she doing to me?_

"Would you like some drinks?" the woman asked and I kept my eyes on Bella. She hesitated nervously and I smiled at her.

"Do you want anything, Bella?" I felt the same familiar thrill as I said her name. She fumbled around, looking at the drinks list.

"Um... I'll just have a Coke please." Her eyes darted to the woman's, then back to mine. She looked incredibly uncomfortable; was my company _really_ that inadequate?

The woman hurried away, leaving just Bella and myself. I breathed heavily; there was something I had to ask her. The truth would probably be painful, but I_ needed_ to know. I opened my mouth to speak.

_**Bella's POV**_

Ever since we walked into the restaurant, I felt an awful wave of anxiety. I was exceptionally terrified that somebody in the building would recognise me and tell Mark when he arrived back home. The thought sent shivers through my trembling body and I was constantly on edge.

Now, as Carlisle sat down gracefully beside me, I took a quick scan of the room. No one here _seemed _to be too interested in us; I didn't know any faces... I exhaled with relief and looked at the wonderful company that I had for the night. He looked troubled, a common factor between us both, and started speaking.

"Bella," he began and my heart hammered. Why did he sound so serious...? (A small part of me thought about the Joker from Batman, but that seemed _completely_ inappropriate.)

"Bella," he repeated, "I... I don't mean to sound intrusive in any way, but there is something I feel I have to know."

My breathing stopped – did he know about Mark? I swallowed shakily after recovering.

"I... I noticed a bruise on your face a few days ago." I felt my body freeze in shock, but he continued, "And I need to know if..." he paused, looking at the table, "If _I_ caused the injury."

I frowned, completely confused.

"I'm sorry?"

He avoided my gaze. "I noticed the bruise and, during your first day at the hospital, you bumped into me, if you remember..."

His voice sounded rough and the colour drained from my face. Guilt flooded through me – he thought it was _his_ fault.

He couldn't be any further away from the truth. Was that why he'd seemed so worried?

I sighed slowly. "Oh, Carlisle..." I shook my head. "Carlisle, it wasn't you."

The relief on his face was evident, now replaced with concern. I wracked my brain for a quick excuse. He kept his eyes on me, expectant and waiting patiently. _Come on, think!_

"I-"

"Here's your drink!" The waitress intervened and I sat back automatically. We had both unconsciously moved closer towards each other during our conversation, the intimacy alarmingly strong and intense.

The waitress left hastily and Carlisle was still looking at me. In fact, he hadn't removed his eyes from mine.

"I... I fell over," I shrugged, avoiding his gaze guiltily. "You know how clumsy I am. It sounds kind of lame."

He smiled slightly.

"I tripped over and hit my cheek on the kitchen counter," I continued, running my finger around the top of the glass. That sounded convincing enough.

He winced. "Why didn't you say anything?"

I shrugged again. "I didn't want to cause a fuss. It was nothing, anyway."

We remained silent for a brief moment, when something suddenly occurred to me.

"How did you notice the bruise? I thought I covered it up pretty well..."

He smirked a little. "I'm blessed with exceptional eyesight."

"Oh. Very modest, then," I replied, and he chuckled, the sound warming my heart. I started to relax a little; the concern he'd shown for me tonight was the most anyone ever had in my life, and it felt exceptional.

But I felt horrible for lying to him and wondered if he'd ever know the truth.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

As Bella placed her fork down onto her empty plate a few hours later, she frowned once more.

"Are you sure you're not hungry?" she asked, finishing the last of her drink. The food had brought the wonderful glow back to her cheeks and I found myself helplessly staring.

I shook my head. "I'm positive. Besides, Alice is cooking tonight."

I felt terrible having to lie, but I was sure she wouldn't want to know what I was _really_ dining on.

The night had flown by exceptionally quickly in her company and I felt incredibly saddened to think of it ending. When I talked to Bella, our surroundings seemed to blur and it felt like it was just her and myself. No one had ever affected me in this way before. Not even Esme.

My time with Bella had been the highlight of my day and I had a long night ahead of me... a long night without her.

I pulled up outside her house, after being given directions, and admired her truck in the driveway. Bella was so incredibly different and unique, just one of the factors which hopelessly attracted me to her.

I cut off the engine and we sat in silence. I looked over at her house; it was incredibly small – certainly not big enough to occupy a child. I involuntarily winced again. We hadn't talked much about her child tonight; she shied away every time the topic turned towards her. I really couldn't understand why she was so unconfident.

The sound of her undoing her seatbelt knocked me out of my trance. She yanked at the clasp and groaned frustratedly.

"I think... it's... stuck," she gasped between her yanks at the device. I chuckled and carefully undid the buckle, the tension crippling me as I came within inches of her beautiful face, leaning over her. I could feel her sweet breath on my neck as the seatbelt unclicked and she laughed.

"I'm too clumsy for my own good," she sighed and I smiled.

We stared at each other for a moment and I studied her warm eyes. She suddenly gestured towards her house, breaking the quiet around us. "I guess I'd better..." She trailed off and I nodded. She hesitantly opened the door and stood outside while I leaned over the seat to talk to her. I wanted to see as much of her as I could before I left.

"Will you be alright on your own?" I asked, feeling incredibly wary of her safety, even though it was stupid of me. She nodded, smiling irresistibly.

"Please don't worry about me, you have your own problems to think about."

She was so selfless... her partner was certainly incredibly lucky. I hoped he knew that.

"Well, if you need me, you know where I am." I smiled once more.

"Yeah." She shut the door, talking to me through the open window. "Thank you for tonight, are you sure I can't give you the money for the-?"

I shook my head. "Consider it my gift," I smirked.

She laughed. "Thank you, it was delicious." After a pause, she added, "I guess I'll... see you tomorrow, then."

"Yes." I felt frustration passing through me once more. "Goodnight, Bella."

I watched her walking towards the front door and I instantly felt saddened. Being out of her presence was strangely incapacitating.

But perhaps I didn't have to be...

I sat still, drumming my fingers on the steering wheel. After a moment's deliberation, I stepped out of my car, and headed towards her house. It didn't matter at that moment if it was a stupid decision or not.


	8. Eight

**My Hero**

_Chapter Eight_

_**Bella's POV**_

Having a night without Mark in the house was such a privilege; it felt wonderful to seem _normal_ for a few hours.

I sat down on the sofa, flinging my keys onto the pillow. I felt exhausted yet exhilarated at what had happened tonight. I was still struggling to reassure myself that it wasn't all a dream.

Carlisle was showing an odd amount of concern for me; I couldn't stop myself wondering exactly why that was. I was probably just jumping to conclusions. All I knew was that he was just a genuinely caring, compassionate man.

The most amazing person I'd ever met in my entire life. That wasn't even an exaggeration.

I shook my head and glanced at the clock; it was 10pm, and my mind was too full of thoughts to even _consider_ sleeping yet. A lot had happened today and I frowned heavily, tapping my fingers on my knee and thinking of what to do.

Carlisle was completely dominant in my thoughts. Everything I considered doing, he somehow managed to find his way back in my mind.

I sighed loudly.

I eventually stood up and headed towards my room. Reading was something I didn't have time to do these days, and now seemed like a perfect opportunity. It'd take my mind off things, for sure.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I felt strangely guilty hovering outside around her house. I felt like I shouldn't be there.

I _shouldn't _be there.

It didn't seem like such a good idea as I hid behind some trees, contemplating what to do. I felt like some sort of criminal.

Strangely ironic, considering Bella had stolen _my_ heart.

That thought shocked me, and I staggered back momentarily, shaking my head. That was too dramatic.

If I knocked at her door, she might think I was a little _too_ interested in her. Which I was, really. Maybe I would scare her again, and the very thought disturbed me.

Perhaps she would be thrilled with my company; she needed a caring friend to confide in.

_Friend_.

Was I more than that? Did I mean something to Bella? She certainly meant a lot to me...

I leaned against the rough tree, my thoughts whirling around uncontrollably. Could I face going back home now? My family needed me after what I'd done to them.

I sighed heavily, turning around and heading back towards my car. I needed to stop being so selfish; I had other problems to consider.

_**Bella's POV**_

The night was incredibly peaceful and I woke up feeling, firstly, refreshed and then worried, as the thought of Mark coming back home tonight came into my head. I groaned and placed the covers over my head, overwhelmed with more anxiety.

I eventually got up and took a quick shower; I was too tense to stand there for longer than a minute, though. The water provided no comfort to me, and I stepped out in frustration, quickly blow drying my hair.

After slipping on my work clothes, I hurriedly stepped outside into the now pouring rain. It had been dry a few minutes ago and I cried out as I dashed to my truck, only noticing the black Mercedes waiting for me as I unlocked my door. I frowned, and quickly headed over to the car as Carlisle wound down his window.

"Do you want a lift with me today?" he asked irresistibly, and he grinned as a raindrop dripped off my nose.

I hastily sat inside, my damp clothes squelching against the leather seat.

"How can I refuse?" I replied, and he smirked, starting the engine. I didn't want to think about _why _he was taking me to work; it was out of politeness. Probably.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I knew I was being cowardly, escaping my problems like I was, but I didn't return home that night. I'd phoned Alice briefly, just to tell her that I wouldn't be back. She hadn't asked many questions, and I had a bad feeling she'd foreseen what I had planned.

All night, I just ran through the forests, feeling free for the first time in a long while. I had also hunted, and eventually returned back to Bella's house, sitting in my car outside. At one point I had climbed up a tree to sit by her window, but I was greeted by dark curtains.

I was sat in the car with her, after plucking up the courage to invite her, heading towards work. I could already feel the tension as she sat down next to me, smiling beautifully. Her sweet scent flooded my senses again, and I had to register my thoughts before I started the car.

It puzzled me why I was still doing this, but I didn't want to think about that now. Besides, I had company.

"So, how was your night?" I asked, glancing slightly in her direction. She looked at me thoughtfully.

"It was... good thanks," she smiled, then added, "Better than usual."

"In what way?" I replied, unable to stop myself.

She stared at the dashboard for a moment and eventually murmured her answer. "It was nice having the house to myself."

Her response confused me, but I said nothing. That would be too intrusive.

"How about you? How was your night?" Her eyes seemed more troubled than they were yesterday as she waited for my reply.

"Same old," I sighed. "Same old."

"How was Alice's cooking?" she asked, smirking a little. I stumbled slightly, surprised that she had even remembered that detail.

"Well, she didn't burn the house down, so I'm guessing that was a good thing," I replied, a smile tugging at my lips. It was so easy... _natural _to talk to Bella.

I kept my eyes on her as she replied. "What did she make?"

I thought quickly of a popular dish. "Pasta. It wasn't half bad."

She laughed. "I'm sure she's a better cook than me at any rate. One time, I managed to burn some baked beans and set alight a roll of kitchen towel."

I chuckled. "That's quite an accomplishment."

Laughter escaped her lips, stunning me.

The hospital came suddenly into view and I was already planning ways to see her during our shifts.

I parked between two silver cars and stepped out of my own to open the door for her. She stood up opposite me, her face a few inches away from mine. I tried to ignore the effect her chocolate eyes had on meeting mine, but I was completely enthralled.

It had ceased to rain now and we began walking slowly towards the building, Bella's light footsteps filling my ears.

We walked up the steps, talking consistently. Everything she said fascinated me. It was only when she began tumbling forwards that I caught her hastily, her body crashing against my chest. I heard a tremble escape her lips.

"_Ow_…" she cursed, hopping on one foot. "_Ow, crap_."

"What happened?" I asked worriedly. "Bella? Bella, are you alright?"

"I told you I was clumsy, only_ I_ could manage tripping up steps," she moaned, her face contorted.

If she weren't in pain, I would have laughed. Her face scrunched up. "I think I've... _twisted_ my ankle."

I held her in my arms in one swift movement, making extra effort to be careful. I tried to focus as her cheek momentarily touched mine, a spark of what felt like electricity passing between us.

"I think we'd better get you to a doctor," I breathed, quickening my pace inside. She grinned, despite the circumstances. "How ironic."

I quickly set her down on a bed and began gathering together some equipment. With a nod of permission, I removed her shoe slowly, trying to cause her as little pain as possible. As her foot became in view, a clear bruise covered her beautiful skin. I winced.

"Another one," she groaned, peeking at her injury.

I began gently touching her foot, and she trembled when I touched a sensitive spot. I examined it more carefully, and there was an obvious conclusion.

"Bella, it's broken. We'll have to bandage you up, an X-Ray would be too dangerous for the baby," I sighed, and her face looked worried. Then again, what was new?

_**Bella's POV**_

Stupid, clumsy _idiot_!

I couldn't _believe_ it was possible to trip upstairs. I truly was a useless imbecile sometimes.

As Carlisle gently wound the bandage around my throbbing foot, I sighed in exasperation. He said it was broken slightly and that I had to remain on crutches for a few weeks. Of course I knew all this, but it didn't soothe my fury and rage at myself.

"There you go," Carlisle said, sitting beside me. I smiled weakly.

"Thank you," I groaned, leaning up on my elbows. "If you weren't there it would have been a _whole_ lot worse." I grimaced, thinking of my unborn child.

He shook his head, sitting beside me. "It's no problem Bella." He looked over at me. "I have _never_ met anyone so... out of balance."

He was putting it nicely and I laughed. "You don't have to try and make me feel better. I'm just ridiculously clumsy."

He grinned. "You're going to be off work for a few weeks." I noticed how his face fell. "But I could... visit you, if you wish? It's up to you, of course."

The thought made me fill with happiness, but then I remembered the one person who would be remaining home with me. I shuddered involuntarily.

"Um... that would be great, but I'd have to see what Mark says," I replied quietly, avoiding his eyes. I saw him nod stiffly.

"That's perfectly reasonable, but I'm going to make sure that I see you at least once a week," he smiled. "You are my patient, after all."

Once a week... could I survive only seeing him _once_? I had no choice.

He sighed suddenly. "I'd better take you home."

I sighed as well. "Yes, please, if you don't mind."

We pulled up outside my house a little while later and Carlisle cautiously helped me out of the car. He handed me my newly prescribed crutches and I hobbled along helplessly, my cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"There's nothing to be ashamed of Bella," he said, with slight amusement. "Plenty of people have to use crutches."

"Plenty of accidental people," I groaned. "Plenty of immobile people who are unable to fend for themselves and are forced to stay at home doing nothing all day because of their stupid clumsiness. People who-"

He laughed, cutting me off. "Alright Bella, you've made your point." We arrived at the door and, to my surprise it flew open, nearly snapping off its hinges, with Mark standing in the doorway. I staggered in shock and fear. _Oh no_.

His eyes scanned my body and then flicked furiously to Carlisle. His face was full of curiosity mixed with anger and I feared for the man who had saved me.

"Who's _this_?" he spat, fixing his dark eyes on Carlisle.

I swallowed, trying to find my voice. "This is Carlisle, my w-work colleague."

"What's he doing here?" he replied, not showing a thought about my condition. I fought back my disgust.

"I had an accident, and he kindly took me home."

I winced as Mark's fists tightened, the tendons showing white under his skin. He stepped aside, his indication for me to go inside. I reluctantly left Carlisle's side and stood by Mark, my crutches clattering loudly underneath me. Carlisle's face was confused and anxious.

"Will you be alright, Bella?" he asked, and I stiffened, thinking of Mark's reaction. I managed to open my mouth, but Mark spoke first.

"Of course she will be, what are you trying to say?" Mark replied, acid in his voice.

Carlisle replied calmly. "I'm just wary of Bella's safety."

My body went cold. Mark turned to me, towering above. I knew what Carlisle had said, but Mark had clearly heard something completely different. He turned slowly back towards Carlisle.

"She'll be _fine_," he ushered me backwards. "She doesn't need your help all the time, _Carly._" I flinched. "I don't want you round here again."

I saw Carlisle's shocked face briefly before the door slammed in it. Mark turned to me with a raised eyebrow.

"Is there something you need to tell me?"


	9. Nine

**My Hero**

_Chapter Nine_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I stood still, completely shocked by the behaviour from Bella's partner. I was puzzled at how she could possibly be attracted to such a rude character.

I wasn't going to judge her, though. It was her choice. Her life.

I hovered on the doorstep, hearing a raised voice coming from inside. I wondered whether I should stay where I was and listen, but I realised that it really wasn't any of my business at all.

Reluctantly, I turned around and tried to block out the sounds that my strong hearing could pick up by focusing on the sound of my breathing. I sat down slowly in my car and exhaled heavily. I had to stop staying with Bella so much; her partner disliked it, and it was interfering with her life.

But why did I find myself listening hopelessly to her voice?

It was quiet, but she still alerted all my senses. I hung on to her every word, waiting for her response to whatever her partner had said.

_**Bella's POV**_

My heart hammered violently in my chest as Mark stood over me, his eyes full of rage. I knew what was coming; I was preparing myself for the impact.

"I..."

My mouth went dry and I swallowed, trying to tell him the truth. I knew I had to.

"I... I'm p-pregnant."

My voice came out in such a whisper that I was surprised it was even audible.

"What did you say?" he breathed, his bushy eyebrows pulling together in a frown. I felt tremors shake my body as I tried to force out some more words.

"You heard me," I muttered, and I held my stomach protectively. He could hurt me, but he wasn't going to cause any harm to my child.

He remained silent for a long time, and all I could hear was his ragged breath. Eventually, words escaped from him and I winced, ready for the pain.

"Are you positive?" he asked, to my surprise, and I looked up at him. He seemed oddly... happy.

"Yes," I murmured. "I checked this morning at the hospital."

He looked at me for a long time, before a smile spread slowly across his face. It looked ugly. I tried not to wince as he placed his arms on my shoulders.

"Bella," he said. "This is _great_ news!"

As his hands touched me, I flinched away automatically, but he was oblivious to my actions.

"A child..." he grinned, and I avoided his gaze. "I've always wanted a child!"

As always, it was about what _he_ wanted. I didn't know why I was so surprised. He didn't seem like the type to crave fatherhood at all, though. In fact, I feared for my child. How would Mark treat it? I shivered just thinking.

As he looked at me, I forced a half smile and he led me towards the living room.

"So, what do you feel like doing?" he asked.

I stared at him, completely astonished and oddly terrified by his different behaviour. It seemed even more creepy than his normal actions.

I shrugged, as I placed my crutches by my side. My foot was aching, but I ignored it as he sat on the sofa opposite me, turning on the television. As soon as he found a decent programme, his attention was diverted and I sighed, getting up to grab some painkillers. He didn't look in my direction as I staggered to the work surface, nearly spilling the pills everywhere. I swallowed some fiercely, tears suddenly streaming down my face. I hadn't felt any relief from telling him; now I was just more terrified.

I stared out of the window, noticing a black car pulling off into the distance. The car reminded me of Carlisle – the one person I truly needed to see right now. I felt immediate guilt at the way Mark had treated him; how _dare _he.

It was disturbing thinking that I might not see Carlisle for a few weeks – I didn't know how I was going to cope. Staying home was going to be torture.

I tipped the rest of my water into the sink, and turned around, reluctantly sitting back down in front of the television.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I was sat rigidly, overwhelmed by the truth. They were happy together. They were going to have a family together.

I should be pleased for them, but I couldn't control my jealousy and need to be in Bella's partner's place.

It wasn't fair.

My eyes locked onto the street ahead; I considered returning to the hospital, but I couldn't work up the strength to move. I had a family myself, and I didn't know why I was being so awfully selfish.

I stared at her window and slowly started up the car, returning to work and trying to accept what had happened.

* * *

Work was incredibly long and laborious. Every minute that ticked by was filled by the thought of Bella. I couldn't control the urge to want to be with her, and knowing that I wouldn't be able to see her for a long period of time... it made me anxious and worried.

It was when I was on my lunch break that I realised something that I had been ignoring for a long time. Something that I had tried to dismiss, mainly because of Esme and the effect that it would have on my family, but now it seemed even more forbidden because of her happy relationship.

I was helplessly falling for Bella Swan.

There was no point in avoiding it anymore – the evidence was conclusive. Every minute that I was away from her, I_ longed_ to be with her.

Every time I saw her, my thoughts turned erratic and everything around me seemed entirely irrelevant.

Every time I looked into her wonderful eyes, I was lost.

I should have known. And now I was terrified; terrified about what effect this would have on everyone around me.

I exhaled heavily, and looked out the window. It was inevitable that Alice would have foreseen most of what I was thinking, and I suddenly felt very worried about returning home.

I had a lot to worry about, lately.

And so did Bella.

It seemed like we were _meant _for each other, yet I knew it would never, _ever _happen.

It couldn't.

I'd have to somehow ignore my feelings and somehow stop them.

I began walking down the corridor and paused outside her office. Everything was still perfectly in place and my thoughts turned back to seeing her singing beautifully to that one song. I was absorbed in the memory, until I was interrupted by Megan, a fellow colleague.

"Hi, Dr Cullen," she said, slightly dazed, and I forced a smile back.

"Megan," I replied. "How are you today?"

"Great thanks," she answered, looking at me in the familiar way that most people did. I sighed internally. "Um, I was actually wondering where Bella is?"

I blinked, puzzled that she was concerned about her, yet glad the topic had turned towards her.

"She fell over today and fractured her ankle, I'm quite concerned about her actually..." I explained. "I didn't know you two were friendly...?"

"Oh dear... um, yeah, we met on her first day here and we talked a bit. I just wanted to catch up with her really, I haven't talked to her since that day."

My mind had wandered during her explanation, but I nodded.

"Well, I can give you directions to her house if you want to visit?" I offered, then added, "Or I could take you there after work?" I couldn't resist a chance to see her.

She raised an eyebrow at me and I could sense the blood rushing to her cheeks. I winced, hoping I hadn't given her any ideas. She smiled after a moment.

"Sure, when do you finish?"

I quickly looked at a nearby clock and replied, "In an hour."

"Well, I'll meet you outside at half 6 then," she grinned and added, "Thanks!"

Before I could reply, she had practically skipped away down the corridor and I exhaled. Sometimes, I couldn't believe some of the things I got myself into...

_**Bella's POV  
**_

The day was _horrific_.

I was already fed up with sitting still and I longed to be outside, in other company. One person in particular...

Mark hadn't said or done much since I told him the truth, which was good in some ways, but bad in others; it made me realise how much I wanted to see Carlisle.

I thought through how long it would take my ankle to heal; I concluded it would be around 6 weeks before I could work again.

Surely I wouldn't have to stay in the house _all _of that time. I could sneak out, with a good enough excuse, and somehow see Carlisle.

I sat still, watching the blurry screen, the effect of the painkillers gradually wearing off. I felt incredibly tired and was considering going to sleep, when there was a sudden knock on the door, causing me to nearly jump out of my seat. I looked at Mark, who was asleep himself on the sofa, and I sighed, reaching for my crutches and stumbling towards the door. I honestly felt like I would collapse, but I luckily reached the door handle to steady myself. It was strange having a visitor; nobody tended to like us.

I opened the door, and standing there was somebody whose face I knew, but name I couldn't remember.

"Er... hi!" I smiled, and frowned.

"Bella!" she exclaimed, walking past me. I saw a black car speed off into the distance, and I could have sworn the driver had blonde hair like Car-

"I heard what happened!" she interrupted as I closed the door behind me. I suddenly remembered her name.

"Meg, how did you get here?" I asked, leaning against the counter. I was finding it incredibly hard to remain standing.

"Dr Cullen gave me a lift." My heart leapt into a race. "He was worried about you."

I felt a sudden happiness at her words and a warm glow in my chest as she invited herself into the living room.

"Oh," she said, looking at Mark who was still sleeping. "I didn't realise you..."

"It's fine," I shrugged. "Would you like a drink?"

"Ooh, if you're offering," she frowned. "I'll make it if you like, you sit down, you look _exhausted_, Bella."

I smiled gratefully and noticed Mark stirring as I took my seat. He opened his eyes and sat slowly upwards, stretching his arms. He looked at the television, then frowned as Meg came into the room.

"Oh, hi! Sorry," Meg said, placing down the cups. "I wanted to see how Bella was..."

Mark looked at her and suddenly smiled, patting the space beside him on the sofa.

"It's perfectly fine," he grinned, as she sat down.

It was alright for Meg to visit, but Carlisle... I sighed in frustration. This was going to be a _long _night.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I sped away from Bella's house, telling myself not to stay. It would cause upset, and that was the last thing I wanted to do.

I arrived minutes later at my own house and abruptly cut off the engine. Today had been such a long day, and I felt oddly exhausted, which definitely wasn't in my nature.

I entered the living room and was surrounded immediately by relieved sighs and hugs.

"Dad!" Rosalie and Alice echoed, smiling at me.

"We were worried!" Edward sighed, looking at me with disapproval. Jasper and Emmett joined his side.

"I'm sorry," I breathed, sitting down tiredly. "I just had some things to think about."

I saw Rosalie glance at me, before staring at the floor. She had been incredibly close to Esme and our separation seemed to have been tough for her.

After a while settling back in, I felt relieved to be back where I belonged. A night away had caused them all kinds of anxiety and I willed myself not to do it again.

* * *

A few hours later, Rosalie, Emmett, Jasper and Edward were all out hunting, leaving just Alice and I in the room. She was looking at me with an expression that seemed to be a mix of confusion and curiosity.

"Dad?" she asked suddenly, and I turned slowly towards her. I brought my eyes up to meet hers, and I knew what was coming. Not now, please...

"Is there something you want to tell me about a certain Bella Swan?" she asked, raising an eyebrow.

I stared at her, completely conflicted. Should I tell her that I'd fallen for Bella; that I had already gotten over Esme? Would it break her heart?

Why was everything always so difficult?


	10. Ten

**My Hero**

_Chapter Ten_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Alice's eyes were penetrating mine and I knew that I couldn't lie any longer. She'd find out somehow. I sighed shakily, and spoke.

"Bella Swan..." I began, feeling a slight thrill as I said her name. "She's... she's a work colleague of mine."

Alice tilted her head in disapproval and I continued. "I... we've been in each other's company a lot lately, and-"

"And you... _like_ her?" Alice finished, and I nodded infinitesimally. I heard her exhale and, as I looked up to meet her eyes, they seemed full of sympathy.

"Carlisle," she murmured. "Esme has only been gone a few months... have you already gotten over her?"

Her words alarmed me, but I continued regardless. "I wouldn't say it like that, Esme will always be special to me. I... it's... I can't help it, Alice; Bella just has this... _aura _about her that hopelessly attracts me. I couldn't stop myself."

She sighed heavily. "What are you going to do about it? Are there any... complications?"

I met her gaze. "You could say that. She... she has a partner and is expecting a child." Alice winced. "That's exactly how I feel every time I consider my feelings."

She placed a delicate hand on my shoulder. "Well... maybe if you... leave it for a while, see what happens. I can obviously give you a little insight into her decisions," she smiled fractionally, "I'm sure it'll all turn out the way it should."

I smiled back momentarily; it was such a relief to share my feelings, but I was worried that they would be told further... Alice stood up and made her way out of the room.

"Alice?" I called. She turned around to face me. "Would you... mind keeping this to yourself?"

She smiled. "Of course. You can count on me."

She disappeared out of the room in a dance and I placed my head in my hands. I glanced at the clock on the wall and realised that it was getting late. I didn't know what to do for the evening.

There was one thing, though...

I ran out of the door before I finished my thoughts.

* * *

I knew I couldn't go inside, but I could just see her wonderful face through the window, and that was enough. It looked like she had company besides her partner, and I recognised the bleached blonde hair as Megan's. It puzzled me how Bella was allowed this visitor, but not myself.

I wanted to keep in touch with her, though, and there was one thought which had came to my mind out of nowhere. I carefully scanned the living room and smiled as I noticed a laptop lying on the table.

I took one last look as Bella opened the device and waited for it to load. Her face seemed to look even more beautiful illuminated by the light of the screen... I smiled once more.

Then I raced back to the house to ask Alice a favour.

* * *

"You want _me_ to go to Bella's house... and give her your e-mail address?" Alice asked with a raised eyebrow. I nodded slowly.

"I need to keep in touch with her and this seems like a perfect opportunity."

She frowned. "How do you know if she even has an e-mail account?"

"I went to her house and saw her on a laptop," I replied, much to Alice's disapproval. "I'm sure she has an e-mail account, who doesn't this day in age?"

She twirled the piece of paper with my address around in her long fingers. Her lips were pouted.

"What makes you think she'll want to see _me_?"

"Well, her partner has a slight... _aversion _to me, and I don't think it would be a good idea for me to go there."

"Yet it was perfectly alright for you to spy on her outside the house?" she countered.

"I wouldn't call it _spying_," I replied.

"What _would_ you call it, then?" she asked, and I sighed.

"Please Alice, just do this for me," I pleaded, "Quickly, before the others come back and start asking questions? Please?"

She sighed heavily, "This isn't going to help, but if it makes you happy..."

I frowned at her words. "What do you mean?"

She looked at me with a sorrowful expression. "Carlisle, she's going to have a child, a_ family._" My face fell. "I don't think you're ever going to be more than just friends."

I stood still, absorbing the cold fact. My reply to her was a whisper... and a lie. "I'll settle for that."

I didn't look at her as she shot out of the door, into the dark. I just hoped that Bella was still awake.

_**Bella's POV**_

After Meg _finally_ left, there was another knock at the door just minutes later and I sighed heavily. Mark made no attempt to get up, so I hobbled towards the door again.

I couldn't have expected who I would see.

She was beautiful and like some sort of glorious pixie. Her hair was short and spikey, and she wore elegant, timeless clothes. She was pale too, just like Carlisle. My heart throbbed as I thought of his name. I was missing him _badly_.

"Um... _hi_, do... do I know you?" I asked, leaning against the handle. She smiled warmly.

"Are you Bella? Bella Swan?" she replied in a wonderful voice, and I nodded. "Good," she breathed, "I'm Carlisle's daughter, Alice."

Realisation flooded through me, mixed with confusion.

"Oh... hello," I murmured quietly, wary of Mark. She sensed my awkwardness.

"He just wanted me to give you this," she said, handing me some paper. I unravelled it, and written in beautiful script was an e-mail address. Carlisle's.

My heart raced.

I looked up at the wonderful person in my doorway. "He wants to keep in touch," she hesitated, "He's... concerned about you."

I didn't expect the flood of happiness which passed through me. I smiled gratefully.

"Thank you so much," I gushed. "I'll get right to it." As she began to leave, I added, "Oh, Alice?"

She turned around gracefully, spinning on her small feet. "Can you tell him I'm sorry about Mark?" I whispered quietly. "Please tell him that his behaviour was unacceptable."

She nodded. "Sure. See you soon, Bella."

I waved as she disappeared into the distance, and I was exceptionally pleased that my laptop was already loaded.

I sat in the corner of the room, as far away from Mark as I could manage, and opened my e-mail account. I clicked on 'add contacts' and immediately typed in Carlisle's address. I was so hasty that I made spelling errors and had to retype twice. After I managed to key it in properly, the contact appeared on my list and I opened a new e-mail. My heart was hammering as I wrote my message.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I knew it was stupid sitting here, staring at my open laptop, but I knew I wouldn't be able to focus on anything else.

Alice had returned ten minutes ago and, to my relief, her journey had gone well.

"She told me to say sorry about Mark's behaviour," she informed as she sat by my side. I smiled; Bella was always so selfless.

"Did she accept the address?" I asked desperately.

"Yes," she sighed. "Maybe..."

Before she could finish, I had grabbed my laptop and was sat, waiting for it to load. She exhaled heavily, before joining the others upstairs. I called a quick thank you, and she just muttered in response.

* * *

Five minutes later and every one had rejoined me in the room, sitting in front of the television. Emmett was the first to speak.

"What are you doing on the laptop, Carlisle?" Emmett asked, and I turned away, blocking his view.

"I have work to do, Emmett, and I'd appreciate it if I had some peace," I replied as politely as I could. My body filled with excitement as I noticed an e-mail already waiting in my inbox. I tried to keep calm as I opened it and read the text:

_Carlisle,_

_Hi, I hope this has got to you. Thank you so much for sending Alice around, it's great that I've finally met the cook. I'm sorry you felt that you couldn't come over yourself; I'm so sorry for Mark's behaviour. It was disgraceful. Although, it is best that you don't come around anymore, for your own sake._

_Anyway, how have you been? Have I missed much?_

_Bella._

My thoughts were jumbled by the sudden contact from her. I speedily typed a reply.

_Bella,_

_Thank you for accepting the e-mail address, I wanted to keep in contact – never mind how I'm feeling, how is your ankle? And the… (_I paused, before typing) _baby? Have you been doing much?_

_Carlisle._

I longed for her reply seconds after I pressed send, and to my surprise, she did so almost immediately.

_Carlisle,_

_Urgh. It's been alright, I suppose. Thank goodness some boffin invented painkillers. And the baby's good, thank you. I'm hoping to have a scan in a few weeks. And I have something to ask you! Why on _earth_ did you send Meg around? She's been here _all _the time! What have you subjected me to? It's death by bleached blonde hair!_

_(a very annoyed) Bella_

I smiled uncontrollably at her response and typed my own.

_(a very annoyed) Bella,_

_I'm truly sorry; perhaps I could send the pest control team around? That should eradicate the problem._

_On a more serious note, when are you thinking of returning to work? It's a little dull without you, in a good way of course..._

_Carlisle_

I wondered if I'd overstepped the mark, but her reply reassured me I hadn't.

_Carlisle,_

_Why thank you. It's nice to know I'm your personal little light bulb. Um, I don't know, maybe 6-8 weeks? Do you think that sounds about right?_

_Bella _

I grinned happily, thinking of a witty reply.

_Bella,_

_That sounds right. I'll have to make do with a torch for the time being – any suggestions?_

_Carlisle_

Her reply came quickly.

_Carlisle,_

_Try John or somebody. He should be adequate. _

_Bella _

I smirked.

_Bella, _

_Would you like to please like to explain to me _how _he qualifies as a torch?_

_Carlisle_

Another response.

_Carlisle, _

_I don't know… but you'll have to make do. Anyway, I'm _really_ sorry, I have to go now... I'm very tired, maybe I'll speak to you tomorrow?_

_Bella_

I felt deflated, but still replied.

_Bella,_

_That sounds like a plan. Thank you, and have a good night._

_Carlisle_

I felt a sudden emptiness as I closed the laptop. I sighed, and looked at Edward who was frowning at me.

"That must have been some pretty interesting work, Carlisle, because that's the happiest we've seen you in a_ long_ time," he said and I avoided his gaze.

"I don't think it was work he was looking at," Emmett laughed and I glanced at him disapprovingly. I placed the laptop under the table and headed towards the door.

"I'm going for a run," I murmured and disappeared out into the darkness without another word.


	11. Eleven

**My Hero**

_Chapter Eleven_

_**Bella's POV**_

_2 weeks later_

Carlisle's e-mails were the one thing that kept me going from day to day.

So, as I travelled in the truck towards my parents' house without my laptop, I felt a sense of discomfort and thought I was experiencing withdrawal symptoms of some kind.

Everyday, I had opened my account and found a new e-mail from him. He had even managed to mail me from work and that made me fill with happiness. Every time I read one, my heart leapt into a race. It wasn't good for my health.

The vehicle jolted to a shaky stop and Mark grunted in disapproval.

"This truck is a piece of junk," he moaned under his breath and I didn't bother responding. I was very attached to my truck and didn't appreciate his criticism.

I climbed carefully out onto the pavement and we walked up the driveway towards the house. I was very nervous of our visit; today we were going to tell my parents about the pregnancy. I wasn't too sure if this would come as good news; Mom had always had a certain dislike towards Mark. I couldn't blame her though, in all honesty.

Mark stabbed at the doorbell and tapped his foot impatiently as we waited for someone to answer. He looked away towards the trees and I scowled at him, just hoping that today would go well.

After a few seconds, Dad opened the door and smiled at us, before frowning at my crutches.

"Bella?" he asked, looking at me with worried eyes.

I blushed automatically. "I fell over, Dad. You know how clumsy I am."

"Oh Bella," he sighed, and the deep lines around his eyebrows lightened slightly. "I can't stand seeing you getting hurt."

I avoided looking at Mark as we walked inside. Dad placed his hand on my shoulder protectively.

We made our way through into the living room and Mom emerged from the kitchen, her hands in oven gloves and her jumper stained with flour. Her face beamed as she saw us, and she squeezed me into a hug.

"Oh Bella! It's been so long since we've seen you!" Her eyes moved down. "What happened to your foot?"

Both Dad and I muttered, "Fell over," and she sighed. Her eyes quickly averted to Mark and her eyebrows turned into a frown.

"Well, you'd better sit down," she said, gesturing towards the sofa. "I've got some cake in the oven, luckily."

I smiled and gently sat down. Mark did the same beside me and Dad sat opposite in his usual chair. I smiled slightly at the remote control on the armchair; during my childhood he had some sort of attachment to it. It seemed like things never changed...

After a slightly awkward silence, Dad met my eyes. "So, how has everything been going lately?"

I sighed. "Well, there's something we need to tell you, actually."

Mom entered the room with a plate full of cakes and several cups of coffee. She placed them down onto the table and raised her head at my sentence.

"You're not ill, are you?" she asked worriedly and I smiled slightly.

"No," I answered. "Quite the opposite, really."

I took a quick look at Mark, who just looked completely bored, and I groaned internally. I took another deep breath.

"I'm... I'm pregnant."

Nobody spoke for a few moments and I waited with a thumping heart. Eventually, Dad smiled.

"Well... goodness, that's great news, Bella!" He sat beside me and placed his arm on my shoulder. "I've been waiting to be a grandfather." He turned to Mark, who seemed completely oblivious. "Congratulations."

Mark just nodded and I glanced at Mom. Her face was one of horror.

"Bella..." she whispered. "Could I have a quick word with you, please? In the kitchen?"

I stood up warily and left the room with Mom. She shut the door behind us.

She looked up to meet my eyes. "Bella, are you sure about all this?"

I nodded slowly. "Yes, Mom, I've had the pregnancy confirmed."

"No, I mean... are you sure you want a child with _him_?" Surprise rippled through me and I tried to ignore her question.

"Aren't you pleased for me?" I asked, leaning against the counter. My ankle was beginning to throb again.

She shook her head. "Of course I am Bella, it's great news, but... I sense that Mark isn't... _right _for you."

I winced; Mom was always too observant. Way too observant.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, not really wanting to hear her answer.

"Well... he looks at you sometimes like... he doesn't want to be in his position..." She looked at my leg. "And you always have so many injuries."

"Mom," I interrupted. "Please don't say this."

"No, Bella, it has to be said. I don't want you to ruin your life," she replied, and I met her gaze.

"I'm not, Mom, I know what I'm doing," I sighed. "And please have a little faith in me, I can look after myself."

"Why? Do you _need_ looking after?" she asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well..." I paused, "I am incredibly clumsy," I shrugged, trying desperately to lighten the atmosphere. She smiled slightly and I exhaled in relief.

"This clumsiness has gotten worse with age," she said, heading towards the door. "_Please _be careful."

I looked at her. "I'll try."

She placed her arms around me, enveloping me in her warm embrace. "I _am_ pleased for you Bella, maybe I'm jumping to conclusions."

I pulled away. "Don't you always?"

She lightly tapped my arm and opened the door. "Come on, your father's probably got all sorts of questions..."

I groaned and sat back down, slightly alarmed at her true thoughts.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I walked through the busy corridor with a smile on my face. Every day that passed meant that there was less time to wait before I could see Bella again.

In our regular emails, she had informed me that her ankle was healing incredibly well, and that she was looking forward to going back to work. I didn't think she had any idea that her returning was the one thing that I _lived_ for at the moment.

I was greeted by a middle aged man as I turned a corner. He smiled at me and gestured forward.

"Are you ready for the meeting?" he asked and I nodded.

We headed towards the room and walked in, taking our seats around the circular table. I wasn't particularly looking forward to this, but it had to be done.

Every two months, a group of colleagues at the hospital had a meeting like this with the main bosses of the establishment. I had been chosen this time around and I was surrounded by some tired, bored faces as the man began speaking.

"Good morning," he began. "I'm Roy Parker and I'll be taking your meeting today." He turned to face us all. "Thank you for attending, and I'd just like to take a moment to compliment your work over these past few weeks; our patients have been most satisfied by the services."

I smiled; that was exactly what I wanted to hear.

"Now, the first topic on the agenda is a medical conference which will be taking place in a few weeks' time. We've selected each and every one of you present to attend it," he glanced to a vacant seat, then looked at me. "Dr Cullen, I believe you're close to Miss Swan?"

My body became alert at the mention of Bella. "Yes?" I asked.

"I understand that she fractured her ankle a few weeks ago; will she be back in two months' time?"

I nodded, a glimmer of hope sparkling within me. "Why is that important?"

"She was supposed to be at this meeting because she will be attending the medical conference along with everybody here."

I tried to keep the smile from forcing its way onto my face. I would be spending time with Bella...

"Now, the conference won't be taking place here, you will be travelling to another hospital to gain information on their practice, for future reference. The hospital is two hours away from here and the conference will be on until late in the night, so you will be given accommodation in a nearby hotel. You will also be provided catering and transport back here the next day. Any questions?"

Nobody asked anything and I could feel my thoughts racing. This was like a gift; I couldn't believe it was happening.

I just hoped that Bella would be able to participate.

I'd have to inform her tonight. I already longed for the time to come.

I couldn't focus through the rest of the meeting; I was too anxious and excited at what could happen. I smiled to myself again and sat staring off into the distance, thinking of what could happen.

_**Bella's POV**_

We eventually arrived back home later that day and I immediately reached for my laptop after fixing us both up a quick sandwich. Mark sat down in his usual spot, and stared mindlessly at the TV. I opened my email account and smiled with excitement when I noticed a new email waiting for me.

_Bella,_

_Hello, how was your day? I was stuck in a meeting for two hours earlier today, and there's something I need to ask you. In two months' time, there's a medical conference which we've both been invited to attend. It's at another hospital about two hours away from Forks (all the two's!) and we'd have to see how they care for patients to gain experience. There's a hotel nearby which we'd be staying in along with around ten others, what do you think? Would you be available?_

_Carlisle_

My heart hammered. Staying in the same hotel as Carlisle... it seemed like a dream opportunity.

An opportunity that was within my reach.

I glanced at Mark and frowned. I should be able to go, he couldn't stop me. With a certain triumph and determination, I typed my response.

_Carlisle,_

_That sounds interesting! I should be able to go, but I'll have to decide for sure nearer the time. What do you mean by 'gain experience?' I thought you were the most experienced out of everyone!_

_And also, when you say 'ten others' does it include John or... dare I ask, Meg? She's been around here too much lately and I swear I could lash out sometime soon!_

_Bella_

It was true, Meg was hanging around here like a bad smell. Her and Mark got on exceptionally well and, during her visits, I was usually just sat here on my laptop, being ignored. Still, I had Carlisle to talk to, and he was a much better blond than Meg. His reply interrupted my thoughts.

_Bella,_

_You can never have too much experience! And it's nobody too bad, don't worry. I can't remember exactly who, but there was no sign of any Johns or Megs. How was the trip to your parents?_

_Carlisle_

I replied speedily.

_Carlisle,_

_It went surprisingly well, thank you. Mom and Dad seemed pleased with the news, and they're already planning baby names. Thankfully, it wasn't anything like Agnes or Beatrice. Not that I know the gender yet, but I couldn't think of any odd boys' names. Anyway..._

_How was your day? Enough about me, already._

_Bella_

Two minutes later, he responded.

_Bella,_

_It was fine, just the usual, thank you for asking. I'm looking forward to you returning to work: only one month now! I really would like my light bulb back! _

_Anyway, I'm sorry, I must go now. Have a nice night and I will hopefully speak to you tomorrow._

_Carlisle_

I smiled happily, then frowned. It was the end of my contact with him for today. I sighed and typed my final reply:

_Carlisle,_

_And you. Thanks again!_

_Bella_

I felt another sense of emptiness as I closed the laptop and heard a knock at the door. I knew it was Meg again and I sighed heavily as Mark leapt up to invite her in. They began talking happily and I realised with a wave of despair that this _really_ wasn't where I wanted to be.

I wanted to be with Carlisle. I wanted to spend all the time I could with him. I wanted him to be my partner, not Mark.

I was falling for him. He had completely dazzled me and claimed my heart.

Yet, as I placed my hands on my stomach and looked over at Mark and his fists, I knew I couldn't leave. I was trapped and had no escape. I had to cover my true feelings, and try to struggle with the truth.

I sighed, and stood up. "I'm going to bed."

"Night, Bella," Meg said to me, seeming almost happy for my exit. I smiled briefly at her, but the tears overwhelmed me as I stumbled up the stairs, longing to be lost in peaceful sleep and to escape from everything that appeared to be so complicated.


	12. Twelve

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twelve_

_**Bella's POV**_

_4 weeks later_

The past month had been a complete and utter _nightmare_. There was no other word to describe the time because it seemed so torturous to me.

I was itching more than _ever_ to get back to the hospital and, although my wishes were going to come true in a couple of days, I felt oddly nervous about it; I'd become so accustomed to staying at home and going on my laptop to speak to Carlisle, that it would seem out of routine to return.

And there was the small fact that I was falling in love with one of my colleagues.

I had found myself often dreaming about him a lot lately; beautiful, amazing dreams that I knew could never come true. It was painful to wake up knowing that I had to return to reality. Almost cruel.

One positive of it all was that my ankle had _finally_ healed. I could walk now and I generally felt a lot better. Physically, at least.

I sighed (something that I was doing way too much) and pondered over my thoughts as I poured a bowl of cereal. The rain hammered violently against the kitchen window, seeming appropriate for my mood, and I listened vaguely to the blaring sounds coming from the TV in the other room. It was barely background noise compared to my screaming thoughts.

Still, getting depressed wasn't going to get me anywhere.

I joined Mark on the sofa opposite him and watched as he automatically stood up and headed towards the door. I resisted the powerful urge to throw my bowl at him from across the room.

It seemed like we were magnets who repelled each other.

But that suited me just fine.

He popped his head through the doorway suddenly and grumbled a few words that I could barely distinguish. "I'm off to work today."

I frowned in confusion. "But it's Sunday-"

"I've... been called in."

He left without a goodbye and I stared hopelessly at the spot where he had once stood. The door slammed loudly, knocking me out of my trance, and I wanted to scream in frustration. Was I really such a burden to him that I deserved being treated like this?

And he'd sounded ridiculously suspicious.

I chucked my unfinished cereal into the bin and tearfully opened my laptop; it was terrible spending most of my time crying, but I blamed that on a mixture of my crazy hormones and the fact that, whenever I became angry, it seemed to happen and my emotions trailed freely down my cheeks. That was irritating in itself.

I automatically opened my e-mail account and checked for any new messages, an action that was becoming very familiar and soothing. To my complete relief, there was a new one from my favourite doctor.

_Bella,_

_Good morning! I'm off work today so I thought I'd e-mail you nice and early. I'm very much looking forward to Wednesday. It will be great to finally have you back._

_Any more thoughts on the conference? No pressure, of course._

_Carlisle_

I sat smiling at the screen, when an idea suddenly sprung to my mind. Three more days without having to see him seemed painful, and Mark was away for most of today…

I drummed my fingers on the keyboard and slowly grinned while typing my response.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

It had felt like centuries since I'd seen Bella and I'd certainly lived through many in my time. Whenever I was out of her presence, the minutes seemed to drag slowly as if on purpose and it frustrated me beyond words.

I often had to take out my frustration on rocks and stones, crumbling them to pieces in my fingertips.

Considering this, when I read her latest e-mail, I was almost ecstatic from the contact.

_Carlisle, _

_Hello, it's a good thing I'm an early bird! And thanks, I'm looking forward to returning as well. This house is driving me gradually insane._

_As for the conference, I can definitely come. It'll be... interesting, I'm sure. _

_Oh, I was just wondering; Mark has finally left the house today, would you like to come around for a bit while you can? You might feel like some kind of criminal in the process, but that could be exciting..._

_Bella_

The smile which spread across my face was noticed immediately by Alice, who was hovering over my shoulder.

"Bella?" she asked and I nodded, half typing my response.

"Carlisle, are you sure you're not... getting in too deep?" she persisted, sitting by my side.

"I think it's already too late for that," I replied honestly and I felt her pitiful eyes on my face. She frowned, an unusual action for her, then danced away joining Jasper across the room. I turned my attention back to the screen.

_Bella,_

_Are you sure? I wouldn't want to bother you._

_If so, I'll be over in a flash._

_Carlisle_

Her response came immediately.

_Carlisle,_

_Positive. It's about time you had some light in your life, as cheesy as that sounds._

_Bella_

I laughed at her response, but it meant so much more to me than she had intended; Bella truly did bring so much to my life.

I sighed again as I headed towards the door, feeling the familiar torrent of guilt and hesitation.

"I'm going to see Bella," I told Alice and received a strange look of confusion off Jasper. She frownedagain.

"I guess I'm gonna have to explain everything," she grumbled and Jasper nodded, still staring at me oddly.

"Yes," he replied slowly in his usual quiet way. "_Everything_." He turned to face me. "I've noticed that you've been feeling some strange emotions lately, Carlisle. They're pretty hard to ignore."

I exhaled. "I know." There was nothing else to say to that.

Before they could reply or question me further, I rushed towards my Mercedes, escaping once again like some kind of coward.

* * *

Seeing Bella again still managed to take my breath away, even though I didn't need the air, and I stood in the doorway, staring in awe at her flushed face. She hadn't changed much; in fact, she looked even more beautiful than before. Surely that wasn't possible... She smiled welcomingly at me.

"Wow," I heard her heart race hurriedly as she spoke. "It's so strange seeing you!"

I smiled back, a natural action. "I'll assume that's a good thing..."

Her cheeks flushed pink and I was overwhelmed once more with her sweet scent. She stepped to one side without too much difficulty.

"Come on in."

I walked past her and tried to ignore the sparks which seemed to shoot between us. That was probably something from my imagination.

Her house was strangely dark and gloomy inside; it wasn't at all what I had expected. I walked through into the living room and heard her light footsteps behind me.

"Oh gosh," she frowned, heading towards a table in the middle of the room. It was scattered with dirty plates and newspapers. Again, the colour flushed to her cheeks and my thoughts turned erratic.

"I'm so sorry! Please excuse the mess." She fumbled around with the plates, looking in a panic. "Mark left so quickly earlier and he didn't bother to clean up."

I winced at his name as she disappeared into the kitchen. I waited patiently for her to finish whatever she was doing, but I soon heard something clatter loudly and hastily joined her side. One of the plates was on the floor, smashed into tiny pieces. My strong eyesight noticed the sharp edges glinting in the dim light.

"Ah!" she groaned, kneeling down slowly. I did the same beside her and she began carefully picking up the pieces with me.

"Careful," I warned. "Don't cut yourself."

Oblivious to my warning, it wasn't long before the strong scent of her blood filled the air. It didn't affect me in any dangerous way, it just allured me more towards her. She smelled glorious...

"Ow, dammit!" she frowned, flinching away and shaking her finger back and forth. That made the smell spread through the air even more tantalisingly.

"Bella," I said, trying to calm her. "Bella? Bella! Stop, you don't want to cause yourself any stress. Calm down, please."

She sat still, looking at me with lost eyes and I clutched her hand. I felt her body tremble slightly before she relaxed and watched me.

"The cut's not too bad, you'll just need some plaster, luckily." I smiled and she groaned, standing up quickly. She swayed on the spot and I quickly steadied her.

"Gosh, I'm sorry," she apologised once more and reached for a first aid kit in the cupboard. As she sorted her finger, I quickly swept away the rest of the plate. She eventually stood still, breathing heavily and looking at me.

"I'm sorry about all this," she frowned. "You haven't been here two minutes and there's been all this drama."

I smiled. "I tend to have that effect on people."

She smirked back and closed her eyes briefly, before gesturing towards the other room.

"Shall we?" she offered and I followed her towards the sofa. We both sat down and she quickly flicked off the television before turning to smile at me. I felt every part of me long for her and I became completely absorbed in everything she said.

_**Bella's POV**_

Everything just _had_ to go wrong. What a great way to greet a house guest.

The shock of seeing him again in person was still making me dizzy. As he looked into my eyes, I felt my pulse racing; I couldn't begin to try and contain my love for him. The effect he had on me was exhilirating, but terrifying at the same time.

We were deep in conversation, discussing some of our favourite music, when the front door slammed shut suddenly, the harsh sound reveberating through into the room. My body instantly went cold and I looked towards Carlisle's eyes with panic.

Mark sauntered into the room and his eyes shot immediately towards Carlisle. The realisation gradually spread across his face, spreading like a wildfire, and my breathing stopped. I could see his fists tightening by his sides; I'd never be able to forgive myself for causing any harm to Carlisle. Surely he wouldn't...?

"What the _hell_ are you doing here?" he spat and Carlisle stood up to face him. The height difference was on the doctor's side, but I still cowered into the chair.

"I wanted to visit Bella," Carlisle replied calmly and I saw Mark's eyes bulge.

"Didn't I say you weren't allowed to?" he replied angrily and Carlisle nodded.

"Yes, but I thought it was necessary," he answered and I cringed again, wary of his safety. Mark's breath shot out in an irritated burst.

"Necessary?" he stabbed and I flinched. "What's _that _supposed to mean?"

Carlisle answered him coolly, always reserved. "I'm simply concerned for her."

His words made Mark explode. Before I could blink and, without any warning, Mark's fist had connected with Carlisle's jaw.

"No!" I gasped and I immediately rushed over to assist Carlisle, waiting to see the damage. To my surprise, he wasn't the one who needed attention; he remained completely unaffected, it was Mark who was clutching at his fist in pain. His face was flushed red and the anger was still in his eyes, burning dangerously.

"What the hell are you made of? Flipping _marble_?" he spat, still wincing at his hand. "I think it's broken you _asshole_!"

Before I could do anything else, Mark rushed out of the room - probably in mortification - and I turned towards Carlisle. His expression seemed full of worry.

"Are you alright?" I asked breathlessly. "I'm honestly so, _so_ sorry. He shouldn't have acted like that... I'm..."

"Bella," he replied, "It wasn't your fault. Don't blame yourself." He looked at me with what looked like regret and resignation. "Perhaps... I shouldn't come around here anymore."

I sighed, knowing that he was right. "Yeah."

There was an awkward silence, within which I tried to hold back my tears. It wasn't _fair_.

"But I can still see you at work..." He grinned slightly, clearly trying to lighten the conversation. "He can't put a stop to that."

I smiled. "Are you sure about that?"

"I'd like to see someone try and stop me," he smiled. "I guess I'll see you in a few days, then."

"Yes," I replied and, as he headed towards the door, I called, "Carlisle?" He turned around swiftly, his hair whipping slightly and falling a little out of place above his eyes. It was a struggle not to stare.

"Thanks for being such a great..." I paused, having to accept the truth, "friend. I really value that."

His face seemed to fall slightly, but perhaps I was imagining it. He eventually smiled. Yes, definitely imagining things.

"And the same to you."

He left then, and I stood still in the quiet. I had yet _again_ somehow made everything go wrong.

It was tempting to crumple to the floor in despair.


	13. Thirteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Thirteen_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

_3 days later_

The clock eventually displayed the time that I had been longing for and I sprinted outside down to my car and raced towards the hospital, not really worrying about my speed.

Today was the day that Bella was _finally _returning to work.

I felt unbelievably excited about it all, even though I had seen her just three days ago. But, then again, I didn't particularly want to remember that experience; I never imagined her partner as a violent person and his actions very nearly blew my cover. If he knew what I was... if_ Bella_ knew... I shuddered.

Although it _was_ quite satisfying hearing the bones crush in his hand.

Within two minutes, I was at the hospital and rushing through the entrance. Bella would be here any moment and I honestly _longed_ to see her radiant face.

I stepped into the elevator and pressed my usual button, when a welcome sound suddenly filled my ears, causing me to stop what I was doing.

_**Bella's POV**_

I was only roughly two months into my pregnancy, yet I already felt bloated and drowsy; not really the best of starts when I was returning to work. The thought filled me with excitement and I sat upright in the bed, trying to ignore Mark's grunts next to me. The memory of him hitting Carlisle temporarily stunned me, and I winced, pushing it to the back of my mind. I hoped he wasn't too badly bruised...

I pulled back the covers and sighed with relief; no morning sickness today. Although, waking up next to Mark every day did tend to turn my stomach.

I quickly shuffled downstairs and changed into my uniform, deciding to skip breakfast. It was strange getting back into the routine after so long and I already felt very anxious; food probably wouldn't help, but I was eating for two now.

A little while later after a quick round of toast, I stepped outside into my truck and quickly started the ignition. Taking a final deep breath, I started travelling forwards and on towards the hospital.

My escape was waiting once more.

* * *

Pulling up into the parking lot felt even more daunting than before and I briefly remembered my first day here. It seemed like _such_ a long time ago and so much had changed since then...

I noticed Carlisle's black Mercedes in the distance and smiled instinctively to myself. I parked nearby the car, mainly for comfort, and stepped out, excitedly heading towards the building but taking extra care as I approached the steps. They weren't going to trip me up again. _Evil steps._

Going inside, I was greeted by some people and I smiled in appreciation at the well-wishers. I passed Meg on the corridor and she walked straight past me, clearly trying to avoid my curious gaze. I turned around to try and speak to her, but she had already turned the corner. I sighed, a little puzzled, but headed straight forward.

The stairs leading towards my ward seemed menacing and tiring, and feeling this bloated didn't help matters, so I lazily headed towards the elevators in front of me. One was already closing rapidly and I sprinted forward, trying to catch it before it left.

"_Wait_!" I yelled, running towards the doors which luckily opened just in time for me. I sighed with relief, then gasped as the person standing inside the elevator came into my view.

It was Carlisle.

I smiled a breathless smile and he returned it gloriously.

"Bella!" he grinned. "I'm so glad to see you!"

I replied happily, resisting the urge to wrap my arms around him. "The same to you. Like I said, staying inside that house all the time was driving me insane... Although, _certain _e-mails from a _certain_ person did make it bearable."

He chuckled. "I wonder who_ that _could be?"

I smirked, looking up at his face. He seemed even more beautiful under the elevator lighting and his face was illuminated stunningly. I was honestly struggling to get my breath back. It was when my stare moved to his defined cheekbones that I frowned.

"Your bruise must have healed well," I pondered, watching as he pressed a button and the doors closed. The elevator began moving and I saw took in his reaction.

"I'm sorry, I don't follow what you're saying," he replied, his eyebrows furrowing into a frown.

I winced internally, having to recall the memory.

"Mark... hit you," I murmured. "I really am _so_ sorry about that."

His face flooded with realisation. "_Oh_, yes, well... I don't tend to bruise that badly." He smiled, before asking, "How is his hand?"

He was always so selfless, so caring, even to those who hurt him. I sighed again at his apparent perfection.

"It was broken," I answered. "He must have put some real force into it," I looked up at him guiltily. "I'm so sorry."

"It's perfectly fine Bella; it wasn't your fault at all."

He lookd into my eyes for a long moment and it was only then that I realised we had edged unconsciously closer to each other, and were only a few inches apart. I stared back at him, my breathing turning frantic. I could feel his breath tingling on my face and noticed the true depth of his golden eyes. I heard him swallow.

I might have imagined it, but I could have sworn he leant slightly closer towards me; it was only when the elevator shuddered to a halt that we jerked apart. There was a loud noise from above and the elevator shook, before the lights flickered off, leaving Carlisle only just visible in front of me. I gasped with panic.

"What happened?" I asked, feeling the fear slowly creeping into my stomach. "Has the elevator broken d-down?"

"I'm afraid so," he breathed and I honestly believed I would soon start hyperventilating. He quickly pressed another button on the elevator and a voice blared through the speakers.

"Can I help you?" somebody asked.

"Yes, it's Dr Cullen here. Dr Swan and I are stuck in elevator two," he explained, calm as ever.

"Oh, right," the woman breathed. "Dr Cullen. How are you? Hey, are you free next Saturday?"

Carlisle rolled his eyes towards me, an amusing action that was out of his character. "That's not appropriate, Lisa. Please tell me how long will we be here?"

I smiled at his response. He was probably used to so many offers.

But she could have been a little more subtle...

"An hour or so."

He exhaled sharply. "Alright. Thank you for your help."

Carlisle cut her off and stared towards me. His face was worried now.

"Bella, are you alright?" he asked, placing a hand on mine. The touch of his icy skin seemed to calm me a little.

"Yeah, I- I think so," I stammered, sitting down slowly onto the floor. I leant my head against the wall and he mirrored my actions.

"You don't look that well," he commented. "You're nearly as pale as me."

I smiled faintly. "I'm just a little c-claustrophobic, that's a-all."

His sigh filled the air. "Oh, Bella. This probably isn't the greatest situation to be in..."

I laughed nervously. "No. Not exactly." But I couldn't have imagined a better person to be stuck here with...

To my surprise, I felt his arm slowly wind around my shaking shoulders. After the initial shock of his close contact, I eventually relaxed and leant my head against his chest. Sparks felt like they were shooting between us and I secretly wished that the elevator would never start working again, ridiculous as that was.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Sitting there with Bella against my chest seemed almost surreal. I had imagined it so many times and now it was really happening.

I could feel Bella's quivering body against mine, smell her intoxicating scent, sense her every movement. I was finding it incredibly hard to concentrate.

She seemed so fragile, though.

After a few silent moments, I was happy that I had let my instincts take over. Seeing her so scared had made me instantly want to comfort her and it seemed now that I was doing a good job. Bella was only trembling lightly and her breathing was slowing. I listened to her heart thumping, completely lost in a trance. It was a very soothing sound, and I closed my eyes temporarily, only to be surprised by the sound of her voice.

"You're always really cold," she murmured and I immediately tensed.

"Am I?" I asked, trying my hardest to sound surprised. I was sure she couldn't deal with the truth.

She looked up towards me and I was exceptionally glad for my good eyesight; she was still clear to me, even in the darkness. "Yes," she replied. "Always."

I shrugged. "Perhaps you're just oddly warm."

I felt her laugh against me, the vibrations on my skin.

"Light bulbs give off heat, though, don't they?"

I grinned at our ongoing joke. "Yes, I suppose they do."

We remained silent again and her head rested back on my chest. I was surprised that she was comfortable, with a chest of mine like marble. Also, a small part of me was worried that she might notice my lack of a beating heart, but she seemed too preoccupied.

"So, what made you want to become a doctor?" she asked, taking me by surprise. She looked up towards me with unmistakable interest, giving me the confidence to reply.

"Well I've..." I paused, thinking to myself. "I guess I've always wanted to help people. I like knowing that I can save lives and make a difference."

She smiled at me. "How long have you been in the profession?"

Again I had to lie. "I've been working here for three years so far, after finishing my studies."

She nodded. "How... how old are you? If you don't mind me asking."

I smiled slightly at her worried expression. "I'm twenty three, Bella."

She raised an eyebrow. "Oh, the same age as me."

If only she knew I was really around ten times her age...

"You and your wife must have adopted really young, then," she pointed out and I glanced over at her.

"It felt right at the time," I answered honestly. There was so much I wasn't telling her...

After a brief pause, she sighed heavily. "I'm going for my scan next month."

This caught me by surprise. She had a habit of doing that. "That's great, Bella. Have you had any problems?"

She grumbled. "A few days of sickness and the usual stuff."

I watched her stare at the wall and wondered what she was thinking. Bella always seemed to be wrapped up in her own world, like she had many problems to deal with. It disturbed me and I longed to do something about it, but I knew I would be overstepping the mark of friendliness.

"The maternity ward is very good at the hospital," I replied, trying to reassure her. "Do you think you'll want to know the gender?"

She looked at me thoughtfully. "I don't know... I'd have to ask Mark."

"Any preference so far?" I asked, a slight smile tugging at my lips as her face lit up.

"I'd quite like a girl, but I'd be blessed with anything." She stared into the distance again. "I'll have to buy one of those little baby books full of names... I'm completely baffled at the moment."

My head tilted towards her, taking in how she looked a little overwhelmed. "There are plenty of names to choose from."

I felt her nudge my arm playfully. "_Yes_, but... I dunno, it's hard to pick the right one."

I nodded in agreement.

"How did you pick your children's names?" she asked and I stumbled slightly in my thoughts.

"They were already named when they were adopted," I replied. "I don't think I could have picked any decent names by myself."

She sighed. "How are they all coping with...?" She trailed off and I was surprised she was so concerned. Then again, Bella continuously surprised me.

"They're better, I think," I smiled. "For the moment, at least."

"Alice seemed fine," she commented and, after a pause added, "Maybe I could meet everyone else one day... that'd be nice?"

I looked at her and she dithered slightly, as if regretting what she had said.

"I... I mean, Alice s-seemed nice, so I'm imagining everyone else is the same..." She trailed off, cringing.

I chuckled. "Yes, Bella, that sounds great. One day, perhaps."

The silence was starting to become deafening and I drummed my fingers on the floor to occupy my thoughts. The elevator suddenly shuddered and started moving again, and, before we could register what was happening, the doors creeked open and the light from outside poured in. Standing in the doorway, staring at Bella and myself, was Meg.

We quickly stood up and moved away from each other, hastily walking outside before she could say anything. I had no doubt that she was already jumping to conclusions, but that didn't matter too much.

We turned around the corner and I looked at Bella's panicked expression. I smiled slightly and she laughed, shaking her head.

"Trust Meg to turn up at _that_ moment," she cursed and I smirked in agreement. I opened my mouth to reply when suddenly another voice filled my ears, much to my irritation.

"Cullen and Swan," the booming voice muttered and I realised that it was John. I exchanged an amused look with Bella, knowing what she thought of him. "Could you follow me? A patient needs some assistance."

We began walking along with him, grinning all the way. It really was _amazing_ to have her back.


	14. Fourteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Fourteen_

_**Bella's POV**_

_One month later…_

"So you're not coming along today?" I muttered to Mark, feeling completely helpless once more. He didn't even look in my direction as he grunted his reply. "I told you, I'm_ busy_."

I sighed. "You're _always _busy," I protested, grabbing my coat, "There can't be _that_ much work to do in that flipping shop. No one ever goes in there, for God's sake!"

I slammed the door loudly behind me and quickly stepped into my truck, gripping the steering wheel tightly. All my frustration and anger overwhelmed me; that had just been a dangerous move.

A few days ago after I had returned home from work, Mark had pushed me up against the wall with both of his hands, for his broken hand had unfortunately completely healed. I could smell the alcohol on his breath and his grip tightened around my throat, endangering my air supply. I gasped against him. It was all completely unprovoked.

"Please, Mark..." I stammered. "The baby... don't..."

"Just s_hut up_." He ordered and I cowered away, waiting for the onslaught.

"You've been seeing Cullen a lot lately, especially getting cosy with him in that elevator," he sneered and I frowned.

"How did you know about-?" I managed, but he cut me off by tightening his hold. I screeched in terror.

"Never you mind," he growled. "Just listen to me: stay away from him or you'll _seriously_ regret it. Next time it'll be_ him_ that gets hurt, not just you."

He slammed my head against the wall once more for effect, before skulking off into the living room. I knelt down onto the floor and cried heavy, terrified sobs.

I shuddered as I remembered my ordeal. That event made today seem even more terrifying.

Today was the day of my scan, a fairly important event, during which I could do with plenty of support, and yet Mark acted like I didn't exist. I sighed exhaustedly; I had never felt so alone.

Things had been going well before, but now I held back my tears as I started the noisy engine and travelled down the road.

* * *

After a quick journey to the hospital, I walked through the familiar entrance and towards the maternity ward. The nerves were beginning to creep up on me now; the fear of something being wrong with my baby, something that _I _might have done wrong. That was usually _always _my mistake, causing pain for others with my own wrongdoing. I shuddered and the woman at the desk smiled at me warmly. I tried to return it, but didn't quite have the strength.

"Hello, are you here for a scan?" I nodded. "What's your name please?"

"Bella," I answered. "Bella Swan."

She checked the computer then looked up at me.

"Would you like to take a seat?" She gestured behind me and I spun around, sitting next to an excited couple. I watched as the man placed his hands on the woman's stomach, gazing at her fondly. A wave of jealousy and hurt passed through me; why couldn't_ I_ have a partner like that?

It was selfish of me, but I stared ahead and waited uncomfortably for my turn.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Bella hadn't been herself lately.

For a few weeks, she had seemed reasonably happy and was continuously smiling, yet now she had retreated back into her shell, with eyes full of worry and pain.

It disturbed me greatly knowing that I couldn't do that much about it all.

I sat at my desk, mindlessly fiddling with a piece of paper. Bella was having her scan today and I felt a _very_ strong urge to go and accompany her. She was likely to be with her partner, though, and if I turned up it surely wouldn't go down too well.

I crumpled up the paper and threw it across the room, directly into the bin. I stared ahead, thinking to myself, when suddenly Megan popped her head through the door.

"Carlisle," she smiled and I crossed the room to greet her.

"Meg," I replied. "To what do I owe this visit?" I had to be polite, but I couldn't ignore Bella's complaints about this woman. I smiled to myself.

"Well..." She twisted one of her coat buttons. "It's Bella..."

My body froze.

"Is something wrong with her?" I asked immediately and, thankfully, she shook her head. I relaxed and regained my regular breathing.

"No, it's just... well, she's having her scan today and Mark hasn't turned up..."

I frowned. "How do you know this?"

She dithered, looking at the floor. "Well I... I just went to see her and she was on her own."

I truly couldn't believe such a_ vile_ person existed. He was having a child with the most beautiful woman I'd ever come across and he couldn't even spare the time to support her at the scan. I tried to control my rare, unnatural rage. I composed myself after a brief moment, using a lot of self control.

"What should I do about this?" I sighed.

"Well, you're close to her," she paused. "Maybe you could stay with her?"

The idea was incredibly appealing and she seemed very enthusiastic for me to follow it. I wondered why.

"I don't know," I pondered. "Her partner doesn't like me and-"

"He has a name, y'know," she interrupted and I nearly scoffed; a person like him didn't even deserve a name.

"_And,_" I continued. "Maybe Bella wouldn't want me there."

She rolled her eyes. "Bella _does_ want you there. Of course she does, can't you tell? Why won't you just go already?"

I raised an eyebrow. "You're being very persistent."

She coughed. "Yes, well... I'm concerned, that's all."

I nodded. "Well, if you insist."

She smiled. "I assume you know the way?"

I nodded again. "Yes, I do. Thank you, Megan."

She rushed outside as I headed quickly down the corridor. Bella was right; she really was_ incredibly_ irritating.

_**Bella's POV**_

"Miss Swan?"

The nurse called my name and I slowly stood up, heading towards the room. However, before the door could close, a hand pushed it open and, to my surprise, Carlisle's head appeared through the gap. I smiled at his unnaturally dishevelled hair.

"I... I believe your partner couldn't accompany you," he breathed and I nodded, avoiding his gaze.

"Would..." he hesitated, "Would you like me to...?" He gestured inside and my heart leapt into a race.

"W-well... are... are you sure?" I asked in wonder. "You wouldn't have to... I mean if you're busy or anything I..."

He smiled. "Bella, I'm positive." He stood beside me and closed the door gently.

* * *

The bed lowered slowly and my heart hammered frantically in contrast as the nurse began preparing the monitor. I shot a nervous glance at Carlisle who just smiled, holding my hand supportively.

"It will all be fine," he said and I relaxed back against the pillow. His words did comfort me a little, but they couldn't soothe the doubt gnawing away in my mind.

"Are you the father?" the nurse asked as she turned towards us. I felt my face prickling with embarrassment as Carlisle structured his response.

"Um... no, no I'm not," he replied, and I glanced over at him. "I'm just a close friend of Bella's."

I watched as he smiled at me and I smiled back. I really wished he was the father, bold as that seemed.

"Alright, this gel may feel a little cold at first," the nurse warned while she started spreading it on my stomach. I winced at the cold tingling and heard Carlisle chuckle.

"Now," the nurse continued, "Let's find your baby."

She placed the scanner on my stomach and began gently searching. I held my breath and stared at the black screen, waiting desperately to see some signs of life.

After a very long time, the nurse spoke.

"It sometimes takes a while to find anything..." she explained, rubbing harder. I inhaled a worried breath and felt Carlisle's hand tighten on mine. I looked at him and he stared back at me with concerned eyes. I tried to control the tears which were threatening to fall from my own and slowly turned back to the screen. If something was wrong... I wouldn't be able to live with the consequences. Literally.

After another lengthy pause, the nurse smiled. "Ah, here we are." I gasped in relief and the tears began trailing down my cheeks. I could see the outline of my baby on the screen; I stared in awe at its tiny hands, feet, head, legs... I felt incredibly moved – it all seemed so real now.

I gazed at Carlisle with watery eyes and he returned a small and strangely sad smile. I turned my head back.

"It's... it's w-wonderful," I breathed as the printer began.

"It looks completely healthy," she said, beaming over at me. "You're doing well, Miss Swan."

She handed me the printed picture and I again looked towards Carlisle, as though my eyes were attracted to his.

I hated how he looked oddly sorrowful.

The seat steadily rose and I sat upright while Carlisle handed me a tissue.

"This... this is..." I gasped. "This is _amazing_."

I sniffed unattractively and he smiled. "Yes. Yes, it is."

He stared into my eyes and I sensed a hidden emotion trapped deep within them. It was only when the nurse spoke that I was pulled out of my trance.

"You'll have another check up in six weeks, Miss Swan," she said, handing me some paper which quivered in my hands. I nodded and, when I turned around, Carlisle had disappeared. I turned to the nurse who gave me a blank look.

"It must have been too much for him," she sighed, showing me to the door. The excitement wore off a little.

"Yes," I breathed. "Too much."

**_Carlisle's POV_**

I stood outside, leaning against the wall. The experience had been too overwhelming for me and I couldn't control my feelings in front of her anymore.

I breathed slowly, staring at the ceiling. Seeing Bella there like that, looking so happy and full of joy, it had tugged at all of my emotions. Yet knowing I wasn't really anything to do with her child made me want to break down in despair. It truly was not fair how someone like her partner was the father. Then again, when was life ever fair?

The door opened beside me and Bella stepped outside, looking at me anxiously. She was clutching her coat and picture, saying goodbye to the nurse. After the door closed, she turned to me.

"Are you alright, Carlisle?" she asked and I forced a small smile.

"Yes, I'm sorry Bella, I suddenly..." I paused. "I felt a little ill and needed some space. I do apologise."

She sighed. "Oh, I'm sorry about that."

I shook my head. "Don't be."

She hesitated and then smiled gently. "Thank you for staying in there with me. I really appreciate it."

I placed my hand on hers, feeling her warm skin. "It was no problem, Bella."

We stared at each other wordlessly for a few moments, when she suddenly spoke.

"Are you still going to the conference thing next month?" she asked curiously.

I nodded in surprise. "Yes, are you?"

She smiled. "As far as I know."

I was looking forward to that day so much that I truly _longed_ for it to come.

"That's great," I replied happily.

I glanced at the clock when suddenly Alice appeared out of nowhere behind Bella. I raised an eyebrow at her, whereas Bella jumped back in surprise.

"Gosh Alice, you scared me!" she breathed and Alice smiled in delight.

"You remembered my name," she said, looking pleased. Her face then turned serious as she faced me, "Carlisle," she said ominously. "I need to speak to you."

"Is something wrong?" I asked, glancing at Bella's worried face.

"Well... it depends," she replied.

She stepped aside to reveal a woman who I hadn't thought about for weeks. Someone who I thought I'd never see again.

Standing there, looking slightly unhappy, was Esme.

"Hello, Carlisle."


	15. Fifteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Fifteen_

_**Bella's POV**_

I watched as this beautiful woman stood beside me, greeting Carlisle in a strangely icey manner. She was absolutely stunning; her hair lay in golden curls around her perfect, round face. It all seemed very obvious, then.

This must be his ex-wife.

I suddenly felt very small and insignificant. Why on earth did I ever think he'd even be _interested _in me, when even his _ex_ was so glorious? I had been such an idiot.

I looked sadly towards him. "I think I'd better go," I said quietly, gesturing to the door.

He shook his head. "No, you don't have to leave Bella, I..."

"No," I cut in. "It looks like you two need some time together."

Esme looked towards me with what I thought was gratitude. Her voice was rich. "Thank you."

I stumbled backwards, staring at the floor as I left. As I stepped in my truck, I glanced down at my watch; it was just past midday. I was going home earlier than I had first expected – great. Just _great. _God knows what kind of mood Mark would be in.

I travelled along the road, trying my hardest to forget about his wife. I was failing, though.

Why on earth would he have split with somebody as lovely as her? Perhaps he was a bit messed up in the head.

Even if he _was_ crazy, that wouldn't stop me loving him.

I pulled up into the driveway and sluggishly walked towards the house; I suddenly felt incredibly tired, overwhelmed by all that had happened today, and I just wanted my bed.

I placed my keys on the kitchen counter and closed the door quietly behind me. After quickly scanning the living room, I realised that Mark wasn't there. I sighed heavily. Thinking about it, I didn't really care where he was at that moment. It was best that we didn't come across one another.

After pouring myself a quick glass of water to take with me, I slowly headed upstairs and into the bedroom. My eyes were practically slipping shut.

Despite this, nothing could have ever prepared me for what I saw when I opened the door.

Lying there in the bed, next to Mark, was Meg.

_Meg_.

Her eyes turned frantic as she saw me, and my cup crashed to the floor, shattering and spraying water everywhere. She pulled the covers up over her chest.

"Bella..." she gasped. "Bella, we... I'm... I can explain everything..."

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Esme was a wonderful person, but she had never been very talented at picking her times.

As Bella disappeared out of my vision, I felt a wave of anxiety pass through me. She surely wouldn't be very happy about all this. I groaned internally.

"Carlisle," Alice said, and I turned to face her. "Perhaps we should go home to discuss this."

I nodded. "I'll just dismiss myself." I turned to Esme. "It _is_ a family emergency, after all."

* * *

I followed Esme and Alice into the house, solemnly thinking to myself. This was going to be a disaster, I could feel it. My thoughts also kept turning to Bella; had she returned home safely? How was she feeling?

"Esme!"

Rosalie's excited voice interrupted my concerns and I watched as she ran and hugged her mother tightly. The joy on her face was evident and I felt a pang of guilt at what I'd put everyone through over these past few months.

"Rose," Esme smiled. "I've missed you so much!"

Emmett followed behind his wife. "Esme, it's really great to see you. We were starting to get worried..." He placed his hand on her shoulder. "And, Rosalie and myself's bedroom needs some redecorating..."

Rosalie nudged him with gritted teeth. "Not now, babe."

Emmett laughed, a booming sound. "That would all depend on how long you're planning on staying anyway..."

Everyone's eyes turned to me and I coughed awkwardly under their stares. "We'd have to... discuss that."

As Edward and Jasper greeted Esme also, I felt a sudden wave of calm pass through me. I smiled at Jasper in appreciation; he was always useful in situations like these.

"So..." Esme said, turning to face me. "Can we speak privately?"

I nodded, gesturing towards the kitchen. "Lead the way."

She did so and I closed the door behind us, taking a deep breath for courage.

"Carlisle," she murmured. "I'm so sorry for the manner in which I left."

This surprised me; I'd expected an onslaught. She had seemed completely distraught and angry before, not her usual characteristics.

"I shouldn't have acted the way I did. I was just a little shocked by your... _revelation_. Deep down, I didn't want to accept it and the only thing I could do was react the way I did. It wasn't acceptable, I know."

I remained quiet as she continued.

"I suppose I did notice that you weren't yourself over the previous months," she pondered. "But I put that down to your work. Obviously I was wrong."

I looked at her sadly. "I'm sorry, Esme. I never meant for all of this to happen. But... I couldn't keep living a lie, like I said. I'm sorry for causing you pain."

She shook her head. "Don't apologise, Carlisle. It happens all the time; people fall out of love."

I smiled fractionally. "Yes. That's true."

I watched as she retrieved something from her pocket; some papers in a brown envelope.

"I took the time to organise a divorce." She handed me the documents while I looked on with surprise. "I thought you wouldn't want much fuss, so I took the opportunity to get it all sorted."

I sighed. "Esme, this must have caused you some hassle... I didn't really think about it... I..."

"Don't worry," she smiled. "It's time to move on, I think. A fresh start."

She was so understanding; just one of her many positive qualities. I placed the paper on the table and quickly signed it with a pen from my pocket.

"We just need to send these off and I will no longer be a Cullen," she sighed.

"Esme," I protested, turning towards her. "You will _always_ be a member of this family."

She avoided my gaze, taking the document from my hand. "I'll be out of your way now."

I took her shoulders in my hands. "Esme, please listen to me. You belong here; you're a part of the family." I paused. "The children need you, too. You don't need to leave. Really."

She smiled slightly. "I thought you were going to kick me out of the door as soon as possible."

I raised an eyebrow. "Esme, you've been with me long enough to know that I'm not like that."

She laughed. "Yes. I suppose so."

"So, what do you say?" I asked. "Will you stay?" I waited for her response in suspense; it _would_ be the right thing to do. The children would be happy and I could _probably_ cope. She was being surprisingly convenient at the moment.

"If you insist," she smiled, holding my hand. "Thank you Carlisle, I truly appreciate it."

I rubbed her wrist. "Any time."

She remained silent for a moment, then looked at me with a strange look in her eye. It scared me.

"I can tell that you like that Bella from the hospital." She smiled happily.

My eyes bulged. "I'm... I'm sorry?"

She laughed, nudging my arm. "Don't act like you don't know. I saw the way you looked at her. A bit like when you first saw me." She paused. "She was in the pregnancy ward, though, wasn't she? Does she have a partner?"

I nodded, ignoring the familiar feeling. "Yes. She does."

She looked at me sadly. "Well, I'm sure it will all turn out the way it should in the end."

Her words mirrored Alice's when I had first confided in her about Bella. It seemed the mother and daughter link was stronger than I thought, even though they were adopted and really no blood relation to eachother.

"Thank you, Esme," I sighed. "Let's tell them the good news." I opened the door. "Although, I'm sure they all eavesdropped on half of it."

"You're wrong," Emmett grinned. "More like _all_ of it."

I sighed heavily then smiled; the light had returned to everyone's eyes. The family seemed to be back together now, and this warmed my still heart.

_**Bella's POV**_

I couldn't move. This wasn't happening. It _couldn't_.

Then again, why should I be surprised? This explained a lot of things; why Mark was lying to me all the time, not coming to the scan, spending lots of time away... Why Meg seemed to feel the need to avoid me at the hospital... she was feeling guilty. And so she should be; she was my so-called friend. I believed I could trust her. I was clearly wrong.

I slowly moved my body out of its shocked position and headed down the stairs, taking care not to tumble.

"Wait, Bella! _Wait_!" Meg called, but her voice seemed false and I couldn't stand the sound of it.

I could hear some shuffling upstairs as they changed into their clothes and I felt a wave of repulsion hit me. How could someone who was supposed to care about me do this?

Meg stormed down the stairs and popped in front of me out of nowhere. I tried to turn away from her face, but she gripped my shoulders with some force.

"Bella, I'm so sorry, honestly, please listen to me! It was all a mistake! _Please_!" she pleaded, and I just closed my eyes.

"Please, Meg," I managed with my dry throat. "Please just... get out."

"But Bella..."

"Get _out_," I snapped and, after taking one last look at me, she turned to leave.

"I'm sorry," she whispered, and the door slammed behind her. I heard Mark's heavy footsteps as he trudged down the stairs.

As soon as he reached the bottom, I raced past him and up into the bedroom to pack my clothes. I wasn't staying here – I couldn't. Not anymore.

I felt an odd relief.

As I ran into the room, though, I squealed at a sudden pain and dampness in my feet; I glanced down at my socks and realised, with sickness, that I had walked straight through the broken glass and water on the floor. I winced as the blood started seeping through, but still continued heading towards the cupboard. I'd just have to cope with the persistent stinging.

I reached for my suitcase and started shoving any clothes I could find into it. I didn't care at the moment, I just needed to escape. They could get creased, it didn't matter.

When I was doing this, something suddenly dawned on me.

I was free now. I could leave him.

Before the smile could spread across my face, though, I felt something grab a fistful of my hair and I jerked backwards as Mark grabbed me and threw me effortlessly back onto the bed. I screeched and fumbled, trying to sit up, but he held my legs down with his arms.

"Let me _go_," I shouted, writhing under his grip. His eyes turned full of hatred as he shook me and I felt myself shiver.

"_Don't_ tell me what to do," he snapped, now sitting on top of my legs. I yelled under his heavy weight, but suddenly felt his warm hand clamp over my mouth. My screams were muffled against his rough skin and it was suddenly hard to breathe.

"Now you_ listen_ to me," he ordered. "What you saw didn't mean anything at all. I couldn't stop it; Meg seduced me. You know I only love you."

The panic filled me; this was all complete lies. How could he really love me with the ways in which he treated me?

"That little _bitch _means nothing to me at all," he continued, and I shivered. "She is nothing."

My breathing quickened as he leaned down to shove his face inches away from mine. "If you pack _anything_ into that suitcase or even _think _about leaving here, do you know what I will do?"

I didn't respond and he shouted.

"_Do you_?"

I shook my head violently and a leering smile spread across his face.

"If you leave, I will make sure that you regret it for the rest of your life, and that wouldn't be a very long time. Do you understand?"

I was shuddering hysterically, full of blinding fear. He slapped me across my face and I felt the stinging spread across my skin. I looked at him in shock, then nodded. He removed his hand from my mouth and I spluttered, taking in panicked breaths. He stood up casually, as though nothing had happened.

"Good, I'm glad you understand me." He kicked my suitcase underneath the bed and stood by the door. "Clean up this mess, would you?"

I sat there, shaking uncontrollably. The tears flowed down my cheeks and I pulled my sore knees up to my chest.

I was now even more trapped than ever before.


	16. Sixteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Sixteen_

_**The Conference (Part One)**_

_One month later_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Life with Esme in the family was strangely soothing. Every time I came home from work, everybody seemed to be happy and that was all that mattered. Even Jasper commented to me on the change in emotional atmosphere.

"I've never felt such positive feelings," he smiled. "Makes a change from all the anxiety and frustration, coming mostly from _you_."

I had frowned at his comment; was it really that obvious?

But, as I packed my bags for the overnight medical conference, I felt a wave of nerves pass through me. I would be spending the next few hours with Bella, and it had seemed that I hadn't seen her that much lately. Every time she did turn up at the hospital, she had tended to avoid me for some unknown reason. It made me think back to when we'd first me.

However, just yesterday she had sent me a quick e-mail:

_Carlisle,_

_Hello, sorry that I haven't spoken to you that much of late; things at the hospital have become a bit crazy, but I'm sure you already know that. How have you been? I was just wondering about tomorrow – what clothes are you taking? I don't know whether to be formal or casual or what? And where are we meeting? I don't want to be there on my own... I'll probably get lost or something stupid._

_Bella_

The sudden contact was a boost for me, and I replied instantly:

_Bella,_

_I've been great thank you, Bella, and I hope the same applies for yourself._

_In answer to your question, I'm not sure that I'm the best person to ask about clothing, that's Alice's department really. But, I think I'm just going to wear my usual medical uniform and take some formal things for the evening. I was thinking that we could meet by the entrance to the hospital? I think that's where the transport will be._

_Carlisle_

She replied quickly.

_Carlisle,_

_Okay, that sounds great! Sorry again and I'll see you tomorrow. _

_Bella_

I didn't really know what she was apologising for. Then again, she did always surprise me with all of her actions; that was just one of the qualities which hopelessly attracted me to her.

I began zipping up the suitcase, shaking my head to myself, when there was a sudden knock on the door.

"Come in," I called, and Alice and Jasper walked into the room. Everybody else was out hunting and I smiled at them as they stood beside me.

"Jasper, Alice, is there something wrong?" I asked. They didn't usual talk to me like this, so I immediately feared the worst.

"I'm not sure, I was hoping you could tell me that," Jasper replied, raising an eyebrow, and I tensed.

"In what context are you talking about?" I murmured, although I had a pretty good idea who this was all about.

"Bella," he answered, and I sighed; it seemed I was correct. After a moment, I nodded and gestured for them to sit down.

"What do you want to know?" I sat down on the chair opposite them.

Jasper looked at me knowingly. "I think you're already aware of that."

I exhaled and turn towards Alice. "Did you tell him everything?" She nodded and I felt a burst of embarrassment. "Well then, what do you need to know?"

"You love her, don't you?" Jasper asked and I stared at him for a long moment. I couldn't really deny my feelings around Jasper, of all people. He had probably been absorbing my emotions for quite some time now, and it was blindingly obvious to him. I nodded infinitesimally.

"Yes."

It was his turn to sigh. "And she's going to be at this conference today?" I nodded again. It was silent for a little while.

"Carlisle, Alice has told me that Bella has a partner... and that she's having a child." I winced at his words. "I'm sorry if this is making it more painful for you, I just... I need to understand," he continued. "Why did you allow yourself to fall for her?"

I looked at him in despair. "I don't really know. It's a known fact, though, that nobody can help who they fall in love with. She's just... amazing. She draws me in... everything about her intoxicates me. I haven't felt this way in a long, long time, Jasper."

He stared at me with narrowed eyes. "She's human, though. This is dangerous, Carlisle."

"I know," was all I could manage.

Jasper said nothing else; he just exchanged a look with Alice. She then spoke.

"Carlisle, I had a vision about Bella earlier." I looked at her worriedly. "I've gotten to know her a bit, so I can see a little of what happens to her."

"Was there anything significant?" I asked curiously.

She frowned. "Well, all I saw was her packing a suitcase, and then unpacking it, then repacking it again."

I sighed. "She'll be preparing for the conference, then."

Alice shrugged. "Just thought I'd let you know."

There was silence for a brief moment, which Jasper broke.

"Are you going to tell everybody else? About your feelings for Bella?" he asked and I shrugged.

"That would be likely to make everything worse," I replied helplessly. "But I'm sure that they may have guessed that something was happening."

He nodded. "Yes, you have been behaving_ very_ differently."

I looked up at him. "_Differently_?"

Alice nodded and Jasper said, "Yes, it's not even the same as it once was with Esme. Your feelings seem more... intensified than before."

I laughed once; that was a big understatement. My feelings towards Bella were hundreds of times more powerful than those for Esme. Every time I was with Bella, she enthralled me, yet when I was away from her I felt anxious and an intense longing to see her again. That fact didn't make me feel guilty anymore; I'd just accepted it. Besides, it was only the truth, and ignoring the truth didn't usually help matters, as I'd come to learn.

To my surprise, Jasper smiled. "I think being in love suits you, Carlisle; it brings the light back into your eyes. The only problem is that, pardon the cliché, you're on an emotional rollercoaster. One minute you're feeling helplessly in love, the next you're feeling guilty, the next it's despair, usually followed by anxiety. I don't know how to help you."

I was shocked by his comments, but managed a response. "I... I just feel that..." I sighed, at a loss for words. "I can't really pursue my feelings because of her... situation."

He nodded slowly. "I guess only time will tell. Maybe everything will change. She could perhaps split with her partner? It may happen that she has feelings for you after all."

"That's unlikely," I admitted. "She's starting a family."

"It happened with Esme and yourself..." ALice pointed out, and I shrugged. I felt Jasper's hand on my shoulder. "Stay strong, Carlisle. I've got a good feeling about this."

If only I had as much faith as him. I smiled weakly.

"Thank you Jasper, Alice," I sighed. "We'll just have to wait and see, like always."

They both nodded again, then left me in peace packing my belongings.

_**Bella's POV**_

I quickly chucked my suitcase into the boot of my truck, feelings Mark's vicious eyes on the back of my head. This whole situation did bring back terrifying memories from a few weeks ago, and I shuddered violently.

"So this is some medical conference?" he said, his voice full of spite. I forced a reply back.

"Yes," I whispered quietly. "I told you about it ages ago. I'm not going anywhere permanently, like I promised."

He scoffed. "When are you coming back?"

"Tomorrow afternoon," I replied monotonously.

"Make sure you'e here."

He turned and walked inside, not even uttering a goodbye. I forced myself to hold back my tears as I stepped into my truck. This escape was going to be good. Amazing, rather. But it still didn't contain the despair and fear I felt.

I knew he suspected that I was trying to escape from him. I wished I could, but he'd asserted what would happen if I even_ thought_ about it.

I pressed hard on the accelerator and headed out towards the road. It was becoming more and more difficult to drive with my increasing bump. I felt bloated and huge, completely unattractive and useless. I just hoped that these were normal feelings for a pregnant woman.

I jabbed hard on the brakes as I reached a corner, letting out all my frustration. The brakes were sticking a lot and it just fuelled to my anger. Stupid things.

Some time later, I eventually reached the hospital and saw Carlisle standing outside the entrance waiting for me. He was just beautiful, leaning casually against the wall, and all of my worries suddenly disappeared, being replaced with excitement. He waved at me and started heading my way.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I saw Bella struggling with her suitcase and rushed straight over to assist her. She smiled when I reached her and I returned it joyfully.

"Thank you," she said breathlessly as I retrieved the suitcase from her hands. She quickly locked her truck and turned to face me. Her cheeks were flushed and, to my surprise, she seemed more heavily pregnant than before. It was obviously going to happen, but I had never expected the time to fly by quite so fast.

As we started slowly walking towards the front of the building, she began speaking.

"It's so great to see you again, it feels like it's been _ages_," she murmured and I chuckled.

"Yes, it really does." When we reached the steps, she sat down and removed her coat.

"Sorry," she muttered. "Just feeling a little hot."

I glanced at the gathering clouds in the sky and smirked.

"How... um, how was your wife?" she asked, and I turned to see her looking at me. I coughed awkwardly.

"It was good to sort out our problems," I replied, not meeting her eyes. "She's staying in with the family, for their sake, but our divorce is now official. Thank you for your concern, anyway, Bella."

I casually glanced at her and saw a small smile on her lips. I could have been mistaken, though.

"How have you been?" I asked. "Is the pregnancy treating you well?"

She met my eyes with a strange look. "It's been interesting. Although I feel like an elephant."

It was hard not to laugh.

In the distance, I could see a group of people gathering and I gestured towards Bella that we should join them. I helped her up and we headed over together, talking along the way and attracting a few unwelcome stares.

* * *

The coach _eventually_ turned up after half an hour and I gratefully assisted Bella up the steps. During the wait, James, a fellow colleague of ours, had deemed it appropriate to start talking to Bella in a way which I found completely infuriating. My unusual anger was difficult to control, and I had to focus on Bella's breathing to distract myself.

"So, Bella?" he continued as we took our seats. It was mildly reassuring that Bella was sitting next to me out of choice.

"Yes?" she replied, looking towards James. I pulled my hands into tight fists, focusing on the view out of the window.

"What do you say to sharing a room with me tonight?" He winked at her and my eyes bulged.

Bella stared at him with, what I hoped, was horror. She tried to reply, but couldn't quite manage the words. I took this as an opportunity to speak.

"That's _hardly_ appropriate, James," I said in clear disapproval. "I'm not sure your _wife_ would approve."

I watched as he backed away, cursing to himself. I tried to stop the smile from creeping its way onto my face, but failed. When I saw Bella turn towards me in the corner of my eye, the smile widened.

"Thank you for that," she breathed. "He was beginning to drive me _insane_."

"No problem," I grinned. "I know the feeling."

_**Bella's POV**_

Did Carlisle just... stick up for me?

Actually, I didn't know why I was so surprised; it was completely in character for him. Caring, compassionate, generally amazing... but it still came as a shock to me. I stared ahead as the coach trudged down the road. I was beginning to feel a little sick and it was pretty cramped, but I didn't want to cause any hassle. I just closed my eyes and relished in the silence.

"Bella?"

Carlisle's concerned voice alerted me. I smiled sleepily at him.

"Are you feeling alright?" he asked. "You look a little pale."

"I could say the same for you." He returned my smile and I sighed, wriggling around uncomfortably. "I feel fine, just the usual sickness. It'll pass."

He placed his hand on mine and rubbed it gently with his thumb. I stared into his eyes as he did so, and found myself looking at his lips. I wanted so badly to kiss them, but snapped out of my trance when he continued speaking. "We'll, uh, we'll be there in thirty m-minutes."

I nodded. "Good."

He kept his hand on my own for the rest of the journey and the feeling he caused on my skin never left.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

We checked into the hotel just after midday and found ourselves at the back of the reception queue, waiting for the available rooms. Bella was leaning on her suitcase and her colour had become even lighter and blotchy. I stared at her in worry; she really didn't look well.

"Are you still feeling sick?" I asked nervously and she shook her head.

"No... I'm fine honestly. Just a little d-dizzy."

She rested on her suitcase and the receptionist came into view. She smiled warmly at me and had the same dazed look on her face that every woman I acknowledged seem to acquire. At first, it used to come in handy, but now it was a bit of an inconvenience.

"Good afternoon," she said warmly. "Are you a part of the other group?"

I nodded. "Yes, we're with the medical conference."

She smiled and began checking the computer. "So it's a room for two, yes?"

I frowned. "No, sorry, we should have two separate single rooms booked..."

She shook her head. "I'm sorry, it's the only room left."

I glanced back at Bella and she shrugged weakly. "I don't mind, if it's the only one left."

I turned slowly around and spoke to the woman, sighing. "Alright... that will have to do." I was secretly thrilled but couldn't show that. It was quite immature of me, but I didn't really mind at that moment.

She handed me the keys, looked briefly alarmed at my cold skin, and we headed towards the elevator, Bella resting heavily on my arm.

"Have fun," I heard the receptionist mutter before the elevator doors closed.

I just prayed that this one wouldn't break down as well...


	17. Seventeen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Seventeen_

**The Conference (Part Two)**

_**Bella's POV**_

I somehow made it up into the room and stumbled weakly through the door which Carlisle held open for me.

The room was fairly small and there were two single beds, barely inches apart from each other. I swallowed nervously, before lying exhaustedly onto the nearest bed next to me. The mattress was hard and the pillow was a little lumpy, but I didn't care; I just needed some _rest_.

I closed my eyes and peeked open as I felt the bed slump down on one corner; Carlisle was sitting on the edge, looking at me worriedly. I propped myself up against the headboard.

"Bella," he said quietly. "You really don't look very well. I'm quite concerned... are you feeling sick?"

I exhaled heavily before answering. "I don't know... I think it's just sickness from the travelling, it'll pass h-hopefully."

His expression didn't change. "Bella, we're supposed to be at the hospital in an hour's time... will you be alright by then?"

I honestly didn't know, but I didn't want to cause him any unnecessary anxiety.

"I think so," I whispered, smiling feebly. He still didn't look convinced, but he rubbed my hand and stood up.

"I'll just..." He hovered around. "Just sit over here."

He placed himself on a chair and coughed awkwardly, staring ahead. I frowned at him.

"Carlisle, you look really uncomfortable," I commented, a smile tugging on my lips; his posture from sitting on the chair was oddly humorous. He grinned, looking happy for the first time today.

"I'm sure the mattresses aren't any better," he replied. "It looks more like a pancake."

I laughed. "It feels like it too." I wriggled around a little. "And the pillow is all lumpy like..."

"Porridge?" he suggested and I guffawed, feeling my face grow red. He smiled back at me.

"You know something?" I said a little later, sitting upright. "I feel a little better now." It wasn't a lie, I truly did.

He smirked. "I'm clearly the perfect medicine."

"Indeed," I agreed, heading towards the bathroom.

"Are you sure you're well?" he asked.

"Yeah, I'm good. Actually, I'm just going to get ready." I jerked my thumb towards the door. "I'll be a few minutes."

He nodded after me and I closed the door happily after me. Perhaps this was going to be good after all...

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Seeing Bella's eyes gleam with amusement had staggered me; I didn't believe it was possible, but it had made me fall even _more_ in love with her. I sighed and stood up from the seat.

Stepping out into the balcony, I looked up at the sky and noticed the gathering storm clouds. Did it ever cease raining here? I shouldn't complain, though; if it was sunny all the time, my identity would be revealed. I shuddered and inhaled the cold air; I could see the hospital in the distance just across the road and felt a rush of excitement. This was going to be incredibly interesting at the least.

I stepped back inside and Bella dashed past me, dressed in her uniform. I smiled uncontrollably in response.

"The bathroom's free now, if you need it," she told me, sitting back down on the bed. She was barefoot and I couldn't help noticing something on the soles of her feet.

"Bella?" I asked as I walked by. "Those are nasty scars on your feet..." I trailed off as she blushed.

"Yeah... I... I trod on some glass. Very c-clever, I know," she laughed and I frowned. She _really_ did need to be more careful.

"Does it hurt?" I continued and she shook her head.

"No, they're from a month a-ago now," she replied, and I nodded. It still disturbed me that she was harming herself.

"I'm sorry if that was a sensitive question," I suddenly added, aware of how she might have interpreted it. "I was just concerned.

"It's fine, Carlisle. I appreciate it."

After flashing her a smile, I disappeared into the facility.

_**Bella's POV**_

An hour later, Carlisle and I stepped down the stairs, his hand on the small of my back for support. I tried to ignore the thoughts his touch sent to my head.

We met with the others outside the entrance of the hotel and slowly made our way towards the hospital. I tired to ignore the almost constant flow of comments coming from James. He really was a jerk.

Stepping into the hospital felt oddly familiar, though, and I relaxed immediately. It was going to be fascinating to see how they worked here. We were greeted by a small, balding man and everyone gathered around as he started speaking.

* * *

"Urgh," I mumbled, lying back onto the bed later that evening. Carlisle's response was similar.

"That was... disappointing," he commented, sitting beside me. I nodded in agreement.

"That's a polite way to describe it," I sighed, closing my eyes. For the past few hours we had been dragged around the hospital, receiving a lecture from the man. I expected it to be interesting, but after a few minutes of his dull, monotonous voice, I was daydreaming. It didn't take much brainpower to guess who about...

I heard him laugh lightly and I glanced at my watch: it was seven. My stomach seemed to rumble accordingly and I clutched at it, blushing.

"Don't worry," Carlisle smiled. "I think there's some food downstairs somewhere."

I smirked. "If I look like a pig, it's only because I'm eating for two."

"Of course," was his reply.

We sat there quietly for a long time, and I slowly sat up, "Guess I'd better get changed then." I quickly gathered some belongings from my suitcase and headed towards the bathroom once more.

**_Carlisle's POV_**

Bella stepped out of the bathroom in a tight black dress and I stared in awe: she was exceptionally beautiful, and I couldn't remove my eyes from her. After gathering my racing thoughts, I blinked twice.

"You look _wonderful, _Bella," I breathed and she blushed again, the pink colouring her cheeks. I couldn't help noticing how her skin seemed to glow and how her hair lay neatly past her shoulders, shining under the light.

We stood still on the spot for a few moments and I spoke suddenly. "I'd, uh, I'd better..."

"Yeah," she replied, and I squeezed past her, feeling her soft skin momentarily on mine.

I narrowly dodged walking straight into the wall.

* * *

We walked together into the dining room, trying to find a table away from all the other colleagues. I was sure Bella had just about had enough with James and I couldn't agree with her more. He was intolerable.

A young waitor quickly pounced on us after we took our seats. He smiled warmly at Bella and I tried to control the sudden jealousy I felt.

"Good evening," he said and I felt like wincing at his voice. "Would you like some beverages?"

Bella looked towards me and I shook my head. She dithered and quickly murmured, "I'll just have some mineral water."

The man nodded encouragingly and I frowned at him. Did he have to be so blindingly obvious? His voice interrupted my thoughts, "I'll bring you the menus in a moment." He gave me a quick, cold glance and I watched as he walked off into the distance. I wished he would stay there.

Bella coughed and I turned my eyes towards her. I opened my mouth to speak, but the waitor reappeared at her side, cutting me off.

"Here you go, ma'am." He then thrusted a menu in my face before grunting, "Sir."

He hovered by the side and I gripped my hands tightly around the paper. It was going to be a shame wasting this food, but I had to order something or everyone would be suspicious.

"I'll have the lasagne," I said, before quickly adding, "_Please_."

He nodded, and Bella said, "I'll just have the pizza and fries please."

I exhaled a sigh of relief as he finally left our sides and we talked, waiting for the food.

* * *

Half an hour later and our food eventually arrived, much to Bella's distaste. She took a single bite of the pizza and her face contorted in disgust. I eyed her carefully while I fiddled with my knife and fork, not planning to eat anything.

"Is there something wrong?" I asked and she looked up towards me with watering eyes.

"This..." she spluttered, "This pizza, if you can call it that, is... is... _vile_."

She coughed and I couldn't help laughing; her face was quite a picture. It was at this moment that the irritating waitor decided to visit us. I clamped my fists under the table. He was like an irritating fly, buzzing around constantly.

"How is your food, ma'am?" he asked, and Bella nodded, stealing a quick glance at me.

"It's... delicious," she smiled, chewing on her mouthful of food. The man smiled proudly before leaving and, probably, annoying another group of people. As soon as his gaze was turned, Bella shuddered and I raised an amused eyebrow at her.

"Urgh," she grumbled. "I wish he'd _leave_." She continued mumbling something undecipherable and I chuckled. It was then that her eyes diverted to my full plate.

"Is yours disgusting too?" she asked. I nodded, feeling guilty for lying.

She shoved her fork down on the plate and sighed. "Can we just get a takeaway or something?"

I laughed. "That sounds perfect."

We hastily left and headed towards the shop; I had a plan. I was going to order something but insist that Bella would eat it, for her child's sake. It sounded fool proof to me and I was pretty pleased with myself.

**_Bella's POV_**

"Now that was _real_ food," I sighed, licking my fingers. I saw Carlisle looking at me, seeming a bit baffled and disorientated. I stared back at him, slightly in awe at his suit that he was wearing. He looked _so_ good wearing black... and that _tie_...

"It just seems like processed fat to me," he said, interrupting my thoughts and looking at the remains of my meal.

I sighed. "Are you sure you don't want anything?"

"Positive," he smiled and I listened to some sudden music coming from downstairs. "What's that?" I asked.

Carlisle looked at a leaflet on the bedside table relating to the hotel's entertainment, his eyes scanning quickly across the paper. He passed it over to me after he had finished.

"It's a party of some sort," he commented while I read the text. "Do you... want to go?"

I looked up at him and he stumbled slightly. "I... I mean, if you would like to... I'm sure you don't want to stay here all night."

Seeing him flustered was adorable and I stood beside him, smiling. "Maybe we could go. It's good to be sociable," I pondered. "And you're right, I don't want to be stuck in this small room _all_ of the time."

He grinned, taking my hand, an action which seemed even more natural than ever. "Let's go."

* * *

The music blared loudly, causing my ears to ring, but I didn't care. I was spending plenty of time with Carlisle and that was all that mattered. I had experienced so many laughs and funny moments today that I prayed it wouldn't end. I'd completely forgotten about the dismal hospital visit; it was just a small, forgetful moment in the past now.

"Now, ladies and gentlemen, here's a slow song for you to dance to," the DJ suddenly announced, and a ballad began playing through the speakers. I smiled at all the couples dancing together romantically, but then felt a pang of pain. Why couldn't I be like that? Carlisle's voice interrupted my thoughts.

"Do... um, do you want to dance, Bella?" he asked shakily, staring into my eyes. I couldn't refuse, so I nodded weakly, taking his hand as we stepped up. Sparks of electricity shot through me as we stood still and he placed his hand on my waist. I wrapped mine around his shoulders and we were inches apart, nearly touching. It took all my strength to keep standing. Even close up, he was perfect, glorious...

His eyes didn't move from mine as we slowly danced around the room and it was almost too intense for me to bear. The whole room became a blur and the music was a distant noise as I looked at him, feeling his steady breath on my face. I could feel my pulse racing and I took a few calm breaths to steady it. It didn't work, though. As _if_ it would.

As the song started to come to an end, I sighed sadly. I so badly wanted to run my hands through his wonderful hair... It was brushed neatly back and looked so perfect; I just wanted to ruffle it up a bit.

When I was thinking about that, though, I truly believed that something else was going to happen... I thought that his face edged closer to mine, because our noses were nearly touching and-

"Bella?"

I wheeled around in complete frustration and saw James staring at me. I focused heavily on not throwing something at him.

"Yes?" I said, stealing a glance at Carlisle who was looking at the floor with his eyebrows furrowed together.

"I was wondering if you wanted to dance?"

I stared at him in disbelief, trying desperately to think of a quick excuse. I clutched at my stomach. "Um... sorry James, I'm actually feeling a little tired," I told him. "This little one takes it out of me."

He nodded in understanding. "Alright. Okay, well... see you tomorrow, I guess."

"Yeah." He walked off and I turned towards Carlisle who looked oddly irritated.

"I think I'm going to go up now," I sighed. "I feel exhausted."

He nodded. "And I think I'll join you, if you don't mind."

"Of course not." I tried to ignore my thumping heart which was racing erratically.

* * *

**_Carlisle's POV_**

I was so close to her... I could see the details of her beautifully clear skin and wanted_ so_ much to kiss her soft lips...

I sighed, thinking back at the memory and trying to control my frustration. Bella was now in the bathroom once more, changing into her bed clothes, and I sat staring at the ceiling, reflecting to myself. Today had been an exceptionally enjoyable day; it was a pleasure being in Bella's company so much. But it had to come to an end eventually.

The woman in question stepped into the room with her pyjamas and I could see a visible bump from her stomach. That didn't stop me smiling at her, though.

I switched off the television which I hadn't been watching and the room was silent apart from our slow breathing. She pulled up the covers and lay in the bed beside me, and I turned my face to look at her. She looked truly drained.

I reached for the light. "I won't keep you awake."

She took one last look at me before the light disappeared. I was, again, thankful for my exceptional eyesight, because I could still see her face in the dark.

"Night, Carlisle," she slurred sleepily.

"Goodnight Bella," I replied, something I had never expected to say. Maybe I would have more opportunities to in the future...

I shook my head. No, that was never going to happen.

I stared ahead and could hear Bella's breathing slowing. I couldn't stop looking towards her; she seemed so peaceful and it warmed my heart. I sighed heavily and realised that she had fallen asleep completely without me noticing. It wasn't long before she started tossing and turning, and to my surprise, she started talking.

"No..." she gasped and I leant up, looking towards her; her face was crumpled with anxiety. "No..._ please_... don't... the baby!" She rolled over but her breathing didn't slow. She seemed incredibly distressed. But it wasn't that which made me stop still; it was the one single word she said.

"Carlisle..."

She had said _my_ name.

She was dreaming about _me_.

I couldn't stop the sudden happiness which flooded me; I knew it probably didn't mean anything, but it seemed like a _lot_ to me. I sat there smiling as Bella finally quietened and settled into a peaceful, deeper sleep.


	18. Eighteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Eighteen_

_**Bella's POV**_

I awoke fairly early the next day to see Carlisle staring up at the ceiling beside me. I stretched my sore muscles, feeling my joints clicking during the process, and slowly turned over to face him. His head tilted towards my direction and his face seemed to light up.

Again, probably wishful thinking.

"Good morning, Bella," he smiled, sitting upright. "Did you sleep well?"

I nodded but, deep down, I knew that I had suffered some very disturbing dreams, mostly involving Mark. I shuddered, but then realised that Carlisle had also starred in one of my dreams during the night, and that thought made me feel a little better. After a moment, though, it dawned on me that I had the awful habit of talking in my sleep, which Mark had had the decency of pointing out once before... I felt the blood drain from my face.

"That's good, then," he said, with a strange look in his eyes. He glanced at the clock beside the bed. "Are you feeling hungry?"

I considered this; it was likely that some food would ease the sudden morning sickness I was feeling, but I truly believed that I couldn't make it downstairs without throwing up...

I heaved myself slowly upright and staggered towards the bathroom, giving him a quick glance.

"S-sure, give me ten minutes," I gasped.

He looked at me worriedly and I rushed inside, slamming the door behind me and racing for the toilet.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I knew that Bella had suffered some morning sickness today, and I felt incredibly helpless listening to the horrible sounds which came from the bathroom. However, as we travelled back home in the bus, she seemed perfectly fine and was chatting away to me like her normal self. She suddenly frowned towards me.

"Did you taste those cornflakes this morning?" She visibly shuddered. "They were like _cardboard_."

I laughed. "They didn't exactly provide the greatest catering." A complete lie, obviously, but I did have some knowledge from Bella's strangely amusing experiences.

As the cars raced by below us, I felt a sudden pang of sadness. I had been looking forward to these two days for as long as I could remember, and now it was all over. I sighed heavily and looked over to Bella, who had fallen asleep and whose head was leaning towards my shoulder. I smiled and moved further across, hoping that my shoulder would provide a comfortable enough pillow.

* * *

_One month later…_

_**Bella's POV**_

Ugh.

Being pregnant really was _not_ the best experience at the moment (I swear it's over-rated), and I just needed some rest. Despite this, I still had to drag myself out of bed and downstairs towards the ringing phone, even with this giant bump in front of me, obscuring the view of my feet. Surely that's some sort of hazard?

"Hello?" I croaked, clearing my throat. I winced as somebody's high pitched voice began singing down the phone.

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to Belllllla, happy birthday to you!"

It was Mom and I couldn't help smiling at her attempt.

"Hi Mom," I said, supporting myself against the counter. "How are you?"

"Don't worry about me, Bella, how are _you_? Did I phone too early? Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't think! How's the baby? Are you doing anything? I..."

"Mom, Mom," I interrupted. "Slow down, I can only answer one thing at a time," I laughed.

"Sorry, sorry," she said. "You know what I'm like."

I could faintly hear Dad shouting in the background, "You should see our phone bill!"

"Sssh, Charlie," Mom protested and I smiled. I really missed them, and being limited to seeing them once or twice a year really effected me, although I didn't really show it. If only Mark didn't dislike them as much as he did...

"Anyway, how is the baby?" Mom continued, and I snapped out of my trance. I automatically reached for my stomach.

"She's... been good, I guess..." But before I could continue, I was again interrupted, this time by a high pitched shriek.

"Oh my goodness, you're having a girl! We're having a granddaughter, Charlie!"

I couldn't quite make out what she was saying for the next minute or so, because she was too excited to speak coherently. But, when she had finally finished hyperventilating, she began planning ahead.

"Oh Bella, this is going to be_ fantastic_. We'll be able to buy her lots of nice pink clothes and some dolls and dresses and... oh! It's amazing, Bella!" Her voice sounded muffled and I could tell that she was crying with joy.

"Mom," I sighed. "Don't get upset!"

She sniffed. "I'm just so happy!"

I smiled. That was exactly what I wanted to hear.

"Well," I said, but my throat suddenly felt very dry, "I'll.. I'll h-hopefully see you soon."

She sighed too. "Please Bella, we need to see you more often. Both Charlie and I miss our beautiful daughter."

I was suddenly overthrown with emotion, but she continued speaking.

"We've sent you your present by post," she told me. "It'll probably arrive later today."

"Thanks Mom," I breathed. "I love you. Tell Dad that too. I love you both."

"We love you too, Bella, don't you ever forget that."

I could barely utter my reply. "Thanks Mom. See you s-soon."

I hung up the phone and stared for a long time through my watery eyes, then eventually stumbled back upstairs to get ready for work.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Today was a _very _special day. During this day, twenty four years ago, Bella Swan was born. That was when the world became a different, better place.

Maybe that was a bit dramatic, but that was how I felt.

I headed towards the hospital, grateful for my uncanny ability to hear a hundred times better than humans. While I had ran past Bella's house this morning, a habit nowadays, I had heard her on the phone to her mother, and discovered that it was in fact her birthday.

I was ashamed that I hadn't known already.

Seconds later, I was sprinting towards the local mall, gathering together everything I needed for what I had planned. I couldn't control the smile on my face as I walked into Bella's office, closing the doors behind me. She had seemed pretty upset earlier, and I hoped that this would just make her day.

_**Bella's POV**_

I walked through the hospital doors once again and was more-or-less immediately greeted by Carlisle, who looked oddly flustered with a panicked look on his face. He smiled when he saw me, though, and ran his fingers through his hair, causing me to stare with an intense longing. It was unbelievable how much I wanted to do that for him...

"Bella," he said, in his usual irresistible voice. "I believe it's a special day today."

I frowned; he couldn't know... I couldn't recall ever telling him.

"Yes, I do love Tuesdays," I shrugged, hoping that he wasn't going to make a fuss. He continued to look at me mischievously, and I couldn't stop myself being helplessly drawn in. His lips pulled into a smile.

"It's your birthday," he said, holding out a rectangular package in front of me. I stared at it, and felt a small pang of happiness.

"Carlisle... I..." I paused, lost for words. Nobody ever remembered my birthday... Nobody besides my parents.

"Please, just open it," he urged, placing it in my hands. I shook my head in disbelief.

"I'm... I'm not really used to receiving presents," I blushed, tugging at the neat bow sealing together the paper. I glanced up at him as I un-wrapped the rest, feeling completely self conscious. His eyes were still on my face as I held a book in my hands, entitled '1000 Female Baby Names.' I felt oddly choked up.

"Carlisle... I... that's... that's just so thoughtful," I breathed, smiling gratefully up at him. "Thank you _so_ much!"

I didn't think, I just reached up and hugged him. He seemed startled at first, but his arms eventually wrapped around me, and it felt so right that I never wanted him to let go. My heart seemed to accelerate by his slightest touch, and I could feel his cold cheek resting against my hair.

"That's not even the best bit," he grinned, pulling away. "If you'd care to follow me..."

I speechlessly followed his orders, my heart beating with excitement. He led me through into my office and paused outside the door. He gave me one last smile, before turning to reveal the inside.

Every square inch of the room was covered in balloons, banners and decorations of every colour I could think of. On my table, there was a huge chocolate cake and I could see a few more cards waiting to be opened. I was completely overwhelmed.

"D-did you do this all by yourself?" I asked, looking at him in awe. He nodded, closing the door behind us. I staggered forwards, taking everything in.

Nobody had gone to this much effort since I was _thirteen._

He held out a chair for me to sit on and he joined me beside the table. I couldn't stop shaking my shocked head. I reached for the cards on my desk and quickly opened one; it was from Carlisle.

_Bella, _

_Have a fantastic day; you deserve it. I'm truly glad that I've gotten to know you better, you really are a magnificent person._

_Love Carlisle._

I stared at the word 'love' for a long time, but guessed he was just being friendly.

I reached for the rest of the cards; they were from Rosalie, Emmett, Alice, Edward, Jasper and Esme: Carlisle's family. It amazed me how they were all so kind and caring, considering I hadn't even _met_ them.

I placed each of the cards on my desk, proudly displaying them. Carlisle handed me a piece of cake and I smiled. What had I ever done to deserve this?

"Thank you," I whispered and he shook his head.

"It's really no problem."

* * *

We had spent more-or-less the rest of the day in the room; I was excused from work because of my 'special day' and eventually most of the hospital found out about it and joined in with the celebrations. I only thought they were doing it so that they could stop from doing any real grafting. Still, I wasn't going to complain; I had a fantastic time, and it was all down to Carlisle.

I made my way back home, clutching proudly at my gifts. I somehow managed to open the front door and switched on a light, nearly stumbling over the package which was in the doorway; it was the present from Mom and Dad, a brand new coffee maker.

I heard a grunt from within the next room and saw Mark making his way towards me and I gulped instinctively. He skulked over and looked at all the gifts on the counter. My heart pounded, though, as he picked up the book from Carlisle.

"What, 1000 _Female _Baby Names?" He shouted, throwing it on the floor with a loud clatter. "You knew the _gender _and you didn't think to tell me?"

I winced as the noise echoed in the quiet house. "You didn't come with me to any of the scans," I breathed. "I figured that you weren't _interested_."

My words struck a chord and he narrowed his eyes at me, then turning his attention towards the cards on the counter. I tried not to panic when I noticed him retrieving the familiar card from Carlisle. Mark looked as though he was about to explode and I prepared myself for the pain.

"Love _Carlisle_?" he sneered, ripping the card into tiny pieces which fluttered to the floor. "So _that's_ what's been going on..."

I couldn't believe how much of a hypocrite he was. I suspected, deep down, that he was still with Meg, yet he had the nerve to say this to me?

"Mark, you don't understand... I..." I started, but his hand clamped down over my mouth once more.

"Oh, I think I _do_ understand," he whispered, and I struggled under his grip. I knew what was coming, and I suddenly acted on complete instinct, raising my knee to hit Mark in the crotch as hard as I possibly could. It was a struggle but it seemed to work, because he kneeled over in pain, cursing unattractively under his breath. While I could, I leapt up the stairs, immediately regretting my actions. Why didn't I go straight for the _door_?

I could hear him grumbling as he made his way up the stairs, so I cowered in the bedroom, feeling completely stupid and helpless. I was never going to be able to prevent anything from happening now... I was trapped.

The door smashed open and he stood there, glaring at me and breathing heavily.

"Get _here_," he ordered, but I couldn't feel my legs. It was only when he repeated what he had said, shouting loudly, that I jumped up and moved numbly towards him. As soon as I was in reaching distance, he pulled me by my hair and I screamed in panic, feeling the burning across my scalp.

"No! _Don't_!" I screamed helplessly. "Get off me!"

He yanked me out into the landing and I began struggling against him, trying my hardest to push him away from me. He fought back twice as hard, tough, and before I could even register what was happening, another scream escaped from my lips as I tumbled helplessly down the stairs.

Pain seemed to cripple every part of my body as I hit my head at the bottom, lying in a crumpled heap, unable to move. Everything around me turned hazy and, with one last surge of agony, I was surrounded by darkness.


	19. Nineteen

**My Hero**

_Chapter Nineteen_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I walked into my house, completely happy and satisfied by how the day had gone, when Alice suddenly ran towards me, nearly knocking me off my feet. I barely had a chance to recover before she started frantically talking to me.

"Carlisle!" she exclaimed breathlessly and I placed my hands on her shoulders, trying all I could to calm her.

"Alice, Alice, what's wrong?" I asked, keeping my eyes on her. I had a horrible feeling at the pit of my stomach that I knew what she was going to say, but tried to ignore it.

"It's Bella," she said and I stood completely still, unable to move. The name coming from her lips made my stomach turn even colder and it took me a moment to close my eyes and structure a reply.

"What's... what's wrong with h-her?" I asked, trying to compose myself. I wasn't doing a very good job, though.

"She fell, Carlisle, I saw her," she said. "She's on her own... she fell down the stairs and-"

I didn't hear the rest of her sentence because I was sprinting outside, using all my strength to make it to Bella's house as speedily as I could. I had the horrifying feeling that I wasn't going to arrive in time, so I pushed my feet down onto the ground faster and faster, physically pushing myself harder than I had ever done before. Bella was my _life _now_..._ if something happened to her... I couldn't even bear thinking about it. Just imagining her in pain...

It was best not to think about it at all.

But, naturally, that was impossible.

I shuddered violently and felt nerves pass through my body as her house gradually came into view, something which was completely out of my nature. I rushed forwards, eventually slamming into her door and kicking it open with all the force that I could manage. It crumbled into pieces beneath me, wood splintering everywhere, and I staggered on the spot, taking in the sight before me.

Oh _God_.

Bella was sprawled at the bottom of the stairs, surrounded by blood, not moving at all.

I sat by her side in a daze, trying to understand what was happening. It sickened me thinking of her in pain; I quickly checked for any signs of life and exhaled a shaky sigh when I suddenly found a faint, thready pulse in her neck. I placed my hand on her cheek, completely appalled at the scene. Her usually beautiful skin was pale and cold.

"Oh Bella..." I sighed, my voice quiet and like a whisper. "How did this happen?"

She remained completely still and I reached for a phone that was on the kitchen counter at lightning speed. After frantically requesting an ambulance, impatient from the woman's constant questions, I knelt by Bella's side, examining her fragile body. It looked like she had hit her head because the warm blood was mainly pooling around that area. It also seemed that she had broken her leg because it was sticking out in an awkward position. My stomach turned and I closed my eyes.

This was just too painful to see.

It was only during my panicked thoughts that I realised something very important and I felt even more sickened.

Her child...

If her child was somehow hurt during this accident, Bella would be heartbroken, not to mention the pain I'd feel at seeing her suffering...

I clutched at her icey hand, completely lost and worried. I stared ahead helplessly, unable to look at her still face. It was frozen in such a shocked expression that it was heartbreaking to even look at.

It was only when the blue lights from the ambulance flashed inside the house that I moved rigidly upwards, meeting the paramedic in the doorway. He looked puzzled at the remains of the door scattered on the floor, but I didn't care.

"Bella's in there," I said in a toneless voice. "She... she fell down the stairs..." He nodded, and I followed after him, "Please hurry, she's... she's five or six months pregnant."

I leaned against the wall as they proceeded to give Bella oxygen and gently put her onto a stretcher. Her body seemed to flop like a fish when they did so and my still heart seemed to ache even more. This_ wasn't_ happening...

I took one last look in the house, noticing the book which I had given her earlier shoved on the floor and what looked like the card I had also given her ripped into hundreds of tiny pieces. I had the immediate feeling that her partner was responsible, but didn't think about it too much. There were much more important things which needed my attention.

I turned on my heel and hastily stepped up into the ambulance, sitting by Bella's side. The drivers shut the door after us and the vehicle suddenly began moving, the ominous siren filling my ears. I clutched again at Bella's hand, intertwining her fingers with mine.

I'd never forget this moment.

"Bella," I sighed, looking at her in desperation. "You're... y-you're going to be alright. You're strong. Stay with me, p-please."

I could have imagined it, but her body stirred slightly and I froze in shock.

"_Bella_? Bella, can you hear me?"

There was a pained moan and her eyes suddenly snapped open, firstly flickering around the ambulance in panic and then landing on mine with an unmistakable fear. I stared right back at her, holding her hand tighter than before.

"Bella, you'll be alright," I convinced her, and myself. "W-we're going to the hospital now. You're okay, I promise."

Before I finished my sentence, her eyes scrunched up suddenly and her back seemed to arch on the bed. Her hands fluttered towards her stomach.

"C-Carlisle..." she gasped weakly, and I edged closer towards her.

"Yes, Bella, I'm here," I whispered.

"My... my baby," she screeched, before grinding her teeth together and drifting back into unconsciousness. I was now even more filled with worry; something was wrong. Terribly wrong.

Not my Bella... _please_.

I knocked on the ambulance walls with all my strength. "Hurry up!" I shouted towards the drivers. "_Hurry_!"

There was a grunt of a reply and I sank back into the chair, completely terrified and anxious for Bella. And her child. I hadn't felt this much pain since the day in which I was changed and just thinking of what Bella was going through...

When we finally arrived at the hospital, I assisted the other doctors in wheeling the stretcher down the corridors, pushing with all my strength until I gained an odd look from the man in front of me.

"Doctor Cullen, you're not on duty tonight," he snapped and I kept my eyes on Bella as I replied.

"Bella is _very_ important to me, so I think you'll find I _am_ on duty."

We pushed the stretcher into a nearby emergency ward and the doctors immediately crowded around her, causing me to force my way past them.

"Listen, she's expecting a child, it's likely that there's something wrong," I said quickly, my voice layered with urgency. "We need to scan and check if there's anything wrong straight away. That's the priority at the moment."

One of the doctors gave me an incredulous look. "I don't think that's necessary."

I stared at him in disbelief. "Oh, so it doesn't matter if her child's dying?"

My words dripping with sarcasm and irritation shocked me and I stared ahead in despair.

"What I _meant_ was that there's already some bleeding," the doctor said and I averted my eyes to Bella's legs; her trousers were stained in blood.

"Oh no..." I whispered, staggering on the spot.

I couldn't stop staring at Bella. This baby was going to be her life, and now it seemed that it was... _dying._

Some of the doctors quickly started examining Bella. I looked carefully at Bella's face, but it seemed that she was still unconscious. This provided a little relief, the fact that she wasn't in any physical pain. _Yet._

One doctor looked towards me ominously.

"It looks like the baby's been badly injured," she said. "We'll have to perform an emergency Caesarean to try to save it. Although it's incredibly unlikely, you must know that."

It was lucky that I had strong legs or I would have sunk to the floor. I nodded blankly and watched as she moved Bella towards the surgery ward. It was all a huge rush, and before I knew it, I was dressing with the usual clothing and placing a mask across my mouth.

The doctors began gathering the equipment for the Caesarean and I was truly in disbelief that this was all going on. Just a few hours ago she was so happy...

The other doctors quickly examined Bella; they concluded that she had a broken leg and a small wound in her head. They couldn't do anything about those yet, though, not with what she was about to go through first.

My heart produced a wave of pain as I realised that Bella was slowly stirring, her eyelids fluttering.

"No... _no_... not now..." I gasped, joining her side. Her eyes turned towards me and she blinked twice, clearly disorientated. Then, in a quick flash, everything seemed to come back to her and the pain that flickered on her face was, once again, heartbreaking.

"Carlisle..." she breathed, and I knelt down to face her, trying to avert her eyes from the doctor who was injecting painkillers and preparing the anaesthetic.

"Yes, Bella, I'm here," I said, feeling incredibly exhausted all of a sudden.

"W-what happened?" she stuttered, looking around the room. It was then that she caught eyes with the doctor.

"It's alright, Bella," I said, trying to catch her gaze. "Bella, look at me. _Bella_."

"C-Carlisle?" she asked, wincing through the pain. "Why... what... w-why is... what's g-going _on_?"

After she said the last word she writhed in a sudden agony and I looked towards the doctor in panic.

"What did you do?" I ordered and she joined my side.

"It's just the injuries," she said. "But I don't think the baby has much time, we really need to operate."

"Carlisle!" Bella suddenly sobbed, and I clutched her hand tightly. "What's happening to my child?"

I looked at her sorrowfully; she seemed completely distressed and I could see tears running down her pale cheeks.

"I'm sorry, Bella, your child... she's in danger, the doctors have to try and save her."

Bella's face crumbled and she broke down, covering her eyes with her other free hand. My heart ached for her and I clasped her hand even more tightly with a fierce hope, urging her not to move any longer.

"Bella... Bella, it will all be alright, your baby _will_ be fine."

She looked at me. "Carlisle, she's only six months old! She's barely viable!"

The doctor suddenly spoke. "Bella? Bella, I need you to stay calm, you need to save your child."

Bella sobbed weakly. "But everything _hurts_."

I closed my eyes in despair; this was shattering me into pieces. I didn't know if I could bear it anymore...

No, I needed to be strong. For Bella's sake.

"Come on, Bella," I said with a sudden passion. "You can do this. I _know_ you can." She looked towards me. "Think of your daughter, of all the wonderful times you could have together."

She sniffed and winced again, but seemed to be determined. She nodded and took a deep breath, flinching again.

"Okay, Bella, we're going to start now." The doctor headed towards her with a mask. "Now we need you to breathe in and count down from ten..."

Bella have me one last look and I tried to smile, but it didn't work. She closed her eyes tight. "Ten, nine, eight, s-seven, six, five, four..."

She drifted off and was soon unconscious. After a few checks, the doctors met my eyes and nodded. This wasn't good for her; afterwards she was going to be drained... I hated thinking about what she was going through.

I couldn't even watch as the other doctor reached for a scalpel.

"Come on, Bella," I shouted, even though she probably couldn't hear. "Stay strong!"

The doctors started operating, making the first incision, and once again the smell of her blood saturated the air. Bella continued staying strong throughout, trying to save her child's life, against all the odds. She was so inspiring, never giving in and I looked towards her with blazing eyes, praying that she would pull through.

All of a sudden, a bundle of red was removed from Bella's stomach and I watched as she remained still on the table. She was still breathing, thank God, but she was probably completely exhausted, and I turned towards the doctor who was quickly wrapping the tiny child into a towel and preparing to head towards the intensive care ward for premature children. I caught a glimpse of its hand; it was barely the size of a _coin_.

Before I could do anything else, though, the doctor disappeared and I quickly set about sorting out Bella's injuries, just continuously hoping and _praying_ that the child would be strong enough to somehow survive.


	20. Twenty

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I didn't move from Bella's side once during the night in which she was unconscious. I was partly afraid that, if I left her, something bad would happen, like it usually seemed to do. I also feared of what was happening to her child; she was a mere six months old and I had begun to contemplate the fact that it had a _very_ low chance of survival.

I held her hand tight and watched her sleeping peacefully. Her head was bandaged up, as well as her leg, which I had been working on a few hours ago. I had no idea of the time that was passing; I just longed for Bella to wake so that I could be in her wonderful presence again. I wanted to know that she wasn't suffering.

I stared ahead into space, thinking to myself, when suddenly Alice and Edward pointed towards the ward and stood in the doorway. Alice looked at me worriedly before glancing at Bella and frowning sadly.

"Oh my gosh... Carlisle, what happened?" she asked, walking in to the room, reluctantly followed by Edward.

I looked up towards her exhaustedly. "She fell, like you said. But... but now there's a risk that her child isn't going to survive."

They both looked towards me grimly and Edward sat beside me. "How is Bella? She doesn't look too good."

I looked solemnly towards her. "I think she'll be fine," I sighed. "She luckily only suffered a broken leg and a head wound."

Alice sighed, also taking a seat. "I suppose it could have been a whole lot worse."

I nodded fractionally, staring ahead; I didn't really have the energy to do anything else. There was a long silence, in which I could only hear Bella's deep breathing and her slow heartbeat. It was oddly soothing. Edward suddenly spoke, startling me slightly.

"Have you contacted her partner?" he asked. "Wouldn't he want to know?"

I sighed. "I very much doubt it. He hardly ever takes any interest in her." I shook my head. "He puzzles me... he's so lucky, yet he never does _anything_ for her. She deserves more than him."

I saw Alice narrowing her eyes and she suddenly spoke. "He's going to make his way over here later tonight... he just decided."

I frowned. "You mean he _knows _about this? I thought he was away from the house when it happened?"

My confusion was interrupted by a doctor walking into the room. She looked towards Alice and Edward in disapproval, then at myself.

"Dr Cullen, I'm sure you're aware of how many visitors are permitted at one time," she grumbled and I sighed in exasperation. Alice and Edward both stood up, heading towards the door.

"We'd better go anyway," Edward told me. "Everyone will be wanting to know what's going on. Emmett's being annoyingly curious. See you later and please call us if there are any updates, if you can."

I nodded after them and watched as they disappeared around the corridor, deep in conversation.

"Anyway, Dr Cullen," the doctor continued, and she sat down beside me. I hated the look on her face and immediately feared the worse. "I understand that you are very close to Miss Swan..."

"Yes," I replied shakily. "She's... she's a great friend of mine."

She nodded somewhat sadly and I hung my head, closing my eyes.

"The child..." I breathed. "She didn't make it, did she?"

I heard the doctor exhale heavily before replying. "No. I'm very sorry." She paused for a long time before adding, "It didn't really stand a chance under the circumstances, but I'm so very sorry."

I slowly opened my tired eyes and looked towards her.

"Thank you for informing me," I murmured, staring towards Bella who looked so peaceful. What would happen to her if she knew the horrible truth? It would break her fragile heart...

The doctor left the room without replying and I placed my head in my hands, running my fingers into my hair. It was truly heartbreaking thinking back to earlier today; it seemed like a lifetime ago, but we had had such a fantastic time together. I had given her the baby names book... It had practically no use now and it was just so cruel that it was hard to comprehend.

Why had something like this happened to _Bella_, of all people? She was a decent, no, _brilliant_ hard working person, who only had other people's best interests at heart. She was a beautiful, wonderful being, and now her world was going to be shattered.

My body lurched with dread as I noticed Bella stirring, and I feared the worst. I was going to have to tell her.

I took a deep breath and saw her eyes fix drowsily on mine.

_**Bella's POV**_

I could feel myself being dragged into consciousness; I was dazed and disorientated, everything seemed a little blurry around the edges, and I had no idea whatsoever where I was... although the familiar smell around me was mildly comforting.

There was a strangely numb feeling in my body, and my leg and head felt tight, as though something was wrapped around them.

I slowly opened my eyes again and everything around me was fuzzy. After a few blinks, though, my surroundings came clear and I could see Carlisle sitting beside me with an oddly grim look on his face. I slowly raised myself with my arms and saw him dart towards me, placing his hands on my shoulders.

"Don't try to get up, Bella," he warned. "You need to rest yourself."

I slumped back against my pillow, confused now as to exactly _why_ I was in the hospital. I frowned in concentration as Carlisle stood by my side, looking at me intently and patiently. I hated the look that was in his eyes, despised it. It was if he was waiting for me to realise something, something that I wouldn't really want to know.

Then it all hit me in a horrible, manic rush. Fighting with Mark. Falling down the stairs. Everything going black.

The_ baby_.

Oh God, my _baby_.

My hands flew to my stomach and I realised that it was noticeably flatter than before. Panic seeped through my veins and I glanced at Carlisle, feeling all the life drain out of me as the look in his eyes registered in my mind. He seemed sorrowful, full of sympathy and-

No... _No_.

"C-Carlisle," I whispered, barely able to control my voice which was shaky violently. "Please... please tell me my b-baby's okay... tell me she's okay. _Please_."

He looked at me wordlessly, staying completely still and I tried to contain my sickness.

"Carlisle?" I repeated, and he suddenly grabbed my hand, looking at me sadly. He slowly shook his head and it felt like everything had crashed around me. There was a pain in my chest, a horrible heavy pain that I feared would never go away.

"No..." I breathed through my uncontrollable sobs. "Please... _no..._"

"I'm sorry, Bella," he said in a quiet voice. "She... she didn't make it."

I couldn't breathe... I sat there, feeling my chest tighten with pain. My poor baby... my poor, _poor_ baby. She was just six months old; how was that _fair_? How did things like this happen? I'd never done anything wrong to deserve something like this...

I continued staring ahead, unable to move. I could feel my eyes beginning to prickle and sting, and it wasn't long before I was briefly aware of the tears trailing down my cheeks. The room suddenly filled with a horrific sound, and I realised with a pang of dismay that it was coming from me; my painful, unstoppable sobs. I closed my eyes and hung my head, only to find it soon resting on Carlisle's shoulder as he gently wrapped his arms around, trying his hardest to comfort me. My body shook against him and I felt his cold hands rubbing my back in soothing circles. He muttered apologies in my ear, but I just tried to focus on not crumbling into pieces in front of him.

The time passed by in immeasurable chunks and I relaxed into Carlisle's arms eventually, too tired to cry anymore. I felt completely drained, like I was completely empty and hollow on the inside. It was true; I actually _was_ emptier than I had been just a day ago, and the thought made me sob all over again.

My emotions were scattered and I couldn't focus on one thought for longer than a few seconds. My mind was racing, thinking of all the people who would be effected. Mum and Dad... they were both so excited about becoming grandparents. Mark... he was oddly happy about becoming a father, even though what he had done caused me to hate him.

Carlisle continued to keep his tight grip on me and it was only when the hospital door slammed open that we jumped apart. My heart hammered as I realised that it was Mark; I felt a sudden fear mixed with anger. _He_ was the cause of my baby's death and I resented him for that.

I hoped he went to Hell, if there was one.

Carlisle immediately stood up to protect me, and it was only when Mark took a look at me that he seemed to realise what had happened.

"Don't tell me you've lost the baby?" he said, piercing me with his horrific eyes. I cowered against the bed unable to speak. It was Carlisle who did.

"Yes, I'm sorry," he told Mark and, after giving me a resentful stare, he lunged towards me, only to be blocked by Carlisle who was forcing him out of the room. I gasped as he pushed past Carlisle and stood by my bedside.

"You stupid _bitch_," he sneered. "You can never do _anything _right! You lost our baby!"

He stormed out of the room, kicking chairs out of his way in the waiting room. I shivered and felt a fresh wave of tears pooling in my tired eyes. He actually_ wanted_ to have a child, and now that it wasn't happening... Despite it being _his_ fault, it wouldn't withhold his terrifying anger.

I sobbed again and Carlisle quickly joined my side, taking my hand.

"Bella, Bella, it's not your fault," he soothed, but he didn't really understand.

"He... he... he's gonna k-kill me," I stammered, crying uncontrollably.

"Bella, he's just shocked, he needed to find someone to blame."

I just shook my head, truly terrified. The look Mark had given me... I'd seen it before, everytime he was incredibly mad at me. This was probably the worst thing I had ever done, though, and it made me sick.

"Bella, he'll forgive you," Carlisle insisted, and I looked at him. Was it time he knew the real truth? Perhaps it would save my life...

But if Mark knew that Carlisle knew... he'd kill both of us.

I shuddered and took a deep breath. It _was _Mark's fault that the baby had died, and he'd caused me so much suffering over the years. It was about time somebody knew; I had every confidence that Carlisle could protect me, but would he really need such a burden?

Yet, it would feel like such a weight off my shoulders by telling him. I knew it was selfish, but wouldn't it help me? I'd been through a trauma and- and-

I had to.

"No, Carlisle," I started, taking a deep breath. "You... you don't understand..." I continued, a decision firm in my mind. I wiped away some of my tears and looked him right in the eyes. "He seriously_ will_ kill me."

Carlisle looked confused now and incredibly wary; he waited for my explanation.

"C-Carlisle," I exhaled shakily. "I... I need to tell you something."

He waited in silence and I stared at my lap. This was going to be difficult, incredibly awfully difficult, but it was something I just had to do.

I had to.

But that didn't make forming the words any easier. It took several attempts of opening and closing my aching mouth to actually get the words out.

"It... it was M-Mark who pushed me down the stairs." I paused and breathed; that was the first bit over. After a quick glance at Carlisle, I took in his horrified look and struggled to continue. "He... he abuses me."


	21. Twenty One

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty One_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I stared at Bella with disbelief and horror; was this _really_ happening? I couldn't quite produce a reply just yet, and Bella realised this because she continued speaking with a quiet voice, which broke my shocked heart.

"It..." she murmured, "It all started about two months after I first met him. He came into the house, completely drunk, and... and he hit me." I winced and she swallowed, summoning the courage to continue. I gripped her hand tightly, unable to think clearly. Surely nobody would deliberately cause harm to somebody like Bella? She was too beautiful to bruise and batter...

He disgusted me.

"Then, after my first day at w-work, I snapped at him because he d-didn't take any interest at all in me, and... and then he p-punched me."

I saw her eyes close in despair and I fought back the increasing hatred which was growing inside me. I had believed that _I_ had caused the bruises on her face, when it was really down to that horrific excuse of a man. I was beginning to see red.

"A few days later... he..." She seemed completely terrified now and I hated seeing it; it sickened me. "He... forced himself on me, and... and that's how I became p-pregnant."

I closed my own eyes in complete revulsion. I was incredibly tempted to run after that disgusting piece of _dirt_ and rip his foul body into several pieces in the most painful way possible. How _dare_ he harm Bella? He had no right... who does he think he _is_? I clenched my free hand into a tight fist, trying to control my breathing.

"And he's... he's always threatened me, because he d-doesn't like me seeing you," she gasped, tears trailing down her cheeks now. "B-but it's not your fault, I... I just..." She trailed off, breaking down completely into a flurry of sobs and I pulled her gently towards my chest, cradling her preciously. Her whole body was heaving and I clutched her, desperately trying to ease her pain. I never thought it would happen, but I really wanted to hunt down the vile_ animal_ who had completely ruined Bella's life, and torture him with a slow and painful death. I hated him with my entire existence and was beyond caring about my beliefs. I absolutely _loathed_ him.

I couldn't even contain how much I despised him.

And to think, I had been speaking to him just a few minutes ago._ Apologising_ to him, when after all it had been all _his_ fault that Bella's precious child had died. I felt a wave of fury pass through me, so I took a long, shaky breath, something which didn't really help.

My thoughts turned back towards Bella who was still crying against me. I rubbed her back and rested my chin in her smooth hair, praying for her pain to end. Just thinking of her in any sort of discomfort… and he had caused her _unnecessary_, _purposeful _pain. I bit my lip with an incredible force, which should have caused it to bleed. Instead, it produced a dull ache which slowly spread through my body.

Bella's sobs eventually quietened and I felt her head turn towards me. She looked at me with raw, red eyes and her cheeks were damp with tears. I wiped one away that was still trailing downwards and stared at her in remorse.

"Bella," I sighed, surprised by my own voice; it was shaky and quiet, paralysed by the shock. "Bella, I'm so s-sorry that you've been suffering like this." I closed my eyes in despair. "I should have put a stop to it. I'm sorry. I'm sorry."

She shook her head, about to protest but I placed a finger gently on her trembling lips.

"Bella, it's taken so much courage from you to tell me about all of this," I continued, my anger subsiding slightly at the sight of her beautiful face. "I admire you for that, but I must ask you something."

She sniffed and waited patiently for my question.

"You can finally escape from... from that vile_..._ _man_, I can protect you." I paused, noticing the fear in her eyes. "Would you... would you like to come and live with me? And my family?"

She looked at me for a long time, and I waited patiently.

"C-Carlisle," she began, "I... I wouldn't want to be a burden-"

I realised I was within inches of her as I protested. "Bella, you wouldn't be a burden! Far, far from it. You can stay with_ him_! Please, just consider it."

She had sadly sorrowful eyes as she thought. "If... if you're s-sure, Carlisle."

I placed my hands on her shoulders and forced a small smile. "Of course. Your safety is my only priority now. Nothing else matters anymore."

"B-but y-your... your family, what will they say?" she asked, and I shook my head.

"I'm sure they'll oblige under the circumstances," I replied, giving her a reassuring smile. She responded by throwing her arms around me, crying once more.

"Sssh," I soothed, rubbing her back carefully. "Bella, it's all going to be okay; you're going to be alright now. I'm here for you."

She sobbed a little more, and I heard her muffled reply. "I k-know, it's j-just... I'm free, at l-last." She pulled away to face me. "I've been trapped with him for s-so long and now, he's out f-finally of my life."

I nodded. "He's history."

At least that was what I thought.

My rage overwhelmed me when I saw the revolting person in question, heading smugly towards the room. I rushed up and headed outside, not even stopping to think about my actions or their consequences.

He smirked obnoxiously as I strode towards him, tightening my fists by my sides. I grabbed him by the collar and pulled him into an empty room, causing a few patients to look up in interest. I ignored them as I slammed him against the wall, causing him to flinch. _Good_.

"What the _hell_ do you think you're doing?" he shouted, struggling pathetically against me. My grip was tight, though, and he could hardly move. I tightened my hand around his throat, feeling anger pulse through me in raging waves. I could hear his heart thumping wildly as I spoke to him.

"People like you _disgust_ me," I sneered at him, slamming him once more against the wall. A low grunt escaped his lips when his head connected with the bricks.

"It's not nice, is it? Being threatened like this! You're_ vile_! You sicken me! Bella was _pregnant_ when you pushed her down those stairs! You _murdered_ her unborn child!"

My hold was becoming ever stronger and I could see that he was struggling to breathe. I didn't care, though; I wanted him to suffer as much as possible for what he had done. He spluttered a reply which caused my fists to tighten.

"It... was... her... f-fault!"

I pushed him with as much force as I could manage onto a nearby bed. He staggered backwards, hitting his head on the wall again. I stormed over to him, and he cowered back away from me. I imagined my face was now similar to how it looked during hunting; full of bloodlust and rage.

"You listen to me," I shouted, leaning within a few inches of him. "You stay away from Bella, or I swear you'll regret it! If you lay another finger on her, I'll break it."

He pulled a face. "Ooooh, I'm so_ scared_." He flew his arms around like a fool and I clamped my hand around his wrist, causing the smile to vanish from his horrific face.

"Do you understand me?" I breathed, glaring at him. He nodded reluctantly and I headed towards the door, unable to stand his company anymore. I heard him call after me.

"Go on! Go back to Bella! You got your way eventually!" he spluttered, cursing under his breath. "She was boring me, anyway! You're welcome to her!"

I hurried towards Bella's ward, nearly exploding with rage. Bella looked up as I joined her and she had the familiar look of fear in her eyes. I hoped that wouldn't be a permanent feature; I missed her smile.

"What just happened?" she asked, shaking slightly. I placed my arms around her, my uncontrollable rage softening immediately. "Did... d-did you see Mark?"

I was glad that she hadn't seen what had just happened, and I quickly made up an excuse.

"No, no, it was just Alice," I lied, taking a deep breath. "I guessed that you didn't want any visitors, so I talked to her outside. I apologise for rushing off."

My voice was still shaking from fury and I wondered if she saw through my lie. However, she smiled timidly and said, "Did you ask her about... me, well... l-living with you?"

I swallowed. "Yes. She... she's fine with it."

Bella smiled happily. "That's g-great. Thank you so much, Carlisle. You really have s-saved me, dramatic as that sounds."

Her eyes were becoming teary again so I wrapped her into a soft embrace.

"Yes," I sighed. "It's all going to be alright from now on."

**_Bella's POV_**

I was still completely heartbroken over... well, I couldn't even think about it. But Carlisle's presence was helping me greatly; everytime my emotions wavered, he was there hugging and comforting me and it felt amazing.

It was three long weeks later, which had gone by with pain and recovery, and Carlisle entered the room to tell me that I could finally go home. I was incredibly nervous and excited about this; I didn't really know what to expect. I just hoped that Carlisle's family liked me and that they didn't mind me being there. Especially his ex-wife...

He gathered the few things I had with me and assisted me towards the door. The crutches had made a comeback and I was practically an expert using them, despite the pain they caused in my arms. I felt Carlisle's hands inches away from mine, ready to catch me if I fell.

He assisted me to his black Mercedes and gently lowered me into the front seat. It had seemed like _ages_ ago since I had last been in there, but the circumstances couldn't be more different.

We made our way through the town, and on the sidewalk there was a woman carrying a young baby in her arms. My heart gave a painful ache and I found tears yet again trailing down my cheeks; I was surprised my eyes hadn't dried up yet. But the jealousy and heartache was always too much.

Despite this, almost instantly Carlisle's hand was on mine, and I smiled faintly, grateful for his concern. It provided a little relief.

After a while, Carlisle took a turn down a narrow road and we disappeared to drive among the trees. It was exceptionally quiet and oddly calming being away from all the noise and mayhem, and I relaxed back into the seat, marvelling at the scenary.

"The house is away from civilisation, so there's no chance..." he trailed off, but I knew what he meant. I nodded gratefully and stared in awe as a grand house came into view. Everything seemed open and I could just see a group of people waiting outside for us. My heart began to race and Carlisle, as though he sensed this, turned to smile at me.

"Don't worry," he said gently. "They really do like you."

I just stared ahead and tried not to tremble as the car engine stopped.

**_Carlisle's POV_**

Everybody stared at us expectantly as we pulled up and I briefly remembered the conversation I had endured with my family to allow Bella to stay.

"Listen, everyone," I announced, stepping into the middle of the room. Jasper and Alice looked up from a game of chess while Emmett and Edward stopped a fierce arm wrestle. Esme and Rosalie walked in from the kitchen and looked expectantly at me. I cleared my throat nervously.

"I don't have much time, I need to get back to Bella but..."

I was interrupted by Alice. "Is she alright now? How about the child?"

I took a long sigh. "Bella's fine, she can go home soon, but the child... she... she didn't make it."

There were gasps of sadness all around the room.

"That's awful," Esme said sadly, and Rosalie added, "How is Bella coping?"

"Not too well," I answered. "Especially considering the fact that her partner hits her."

There were louder gasps this time and several murmurs of disapproval.

"The lowlife," Edward muttered, echoing my own thoughts.

"How could he?" Alice sighed. "Why didn't I see this?"

"How did you find out?" Jasper asked.

"Bella told me," I replied exhaustedly. "And now I have promised to protect her. That's why I needed to speak to you all..." There was a long pause and I continued, "Would there be any objections to her... living here?"

There were heads shaking around the room and Esme said, "Of course. She'd be safer here. It seems logical."

I nodded gratefully. "Thank you all. Would you all be able to control yourselves, do you think?"

There were nods, some reluctant, and I sighed in relief.

"Thank you again. This... this means a lot."

Esme walked up towards me. "And we know that Bella means a lot to you too. She'll be needing you, so this is your chance."

I smiled at her as Emmett spoke.

"This should be fun, having a human in the house," he grinned, wringing his hands together in such a way that I gave him a disapproving look. I turned around and took one last look before heading towards the hospital.

And now I stood there, opening the door for an incredibly nervous looking Bella, who wasn't aware of the great times she was going to have. I smiled at her in determination as we walked towards the family.


	22. Twenty Two

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Two_

_**Bella's POV**_

I didn't really know what I had been so worried about; everybody was so incredibly welcoming that I immediately felt really comfortable. Carlisle introduced me to everyone and they all actually seemed genuinely pleased with me being there; they were like my new family. Especially with Emmett; he was like an annoying little brother. In a good way, I suppose.

They led me indoors and watched with amused faces as I marvelled at the interior. Everything was just so _big_. I'd never experienced anything like this in my life; I was used to living in dingy, small houses and living with the bare essentials.

My mouth remained in a little O shape, until Carlisle snapped me out of my trance by waving his hand in front of my face. I smiled and looked around at the groups of people standing by me. They seemed expectant, so I mumbled something about the house being lovely. They all smiled at me.

"You must be very rich to afford all of this," I breathed, still staring. "I didn't know the hospital paid wages_ that_ high," I said to Carlisle, "Unless you're getting special bonuses or something."

I saw Carlisle exchange a look with Edward, who seemed to be concentrating very hard at something and was frowning in my direction. Carlisle then glanced towards me.

"Well, there are some bonuses from the job," he admitted and I heard Emmett splutter. I looked towards him and saw him visibly shaking with laughter, so I gave him an annoyed look.

"I'm sorry C-Carlisle," he laughed. "You're just so cheesy sometimes."

Carlisle raised an eyebrow, while Rosalie nudged Emmett in the ribs with quite some force. I winced for him.

"Anyway, Bella," a quiet voice suddenly murmured and I saw Esme, Carlisle's ex-wife, looking towards me. I immediately felt a surge of worry; I was surprised that she hadn't attacked me with something yet. Then again, she didn't seem like the jealous type during the time of my scan. The memory caught me by surprise but I held back the pain.

"How are you feeling?" She hesitated before adding, "Carlisle told us what happened. I'm really so sorry, Bella. No one should have to deal with that."

I smiled at her kindness and whispered, "I'm... I'm fine. Thank you."

There was an awkward silence for a moment, before Emmett loudly clapped his hands together and grinned at me. The menacingly crazy look in his eyes scared me, but I told myself that I was just imagining it. At least I _hoped_ I was...

"Wanna watch us playing some ball, Bella?" he asked, and I peeked at Carlisle for help; he simply shrugged.

"Please define 'ball' for me, Emmett?" I replied warily.

"Well... it's round, it bounces.." he said mockingly and I waved an arm at him.

"Ha ha, very funny," I grumbled, a grin making its way onto my face. "You know what I meant."

He smirked "Yeah, I meant..."

"Emmett," Carlisle intervened, "I think it's best if Bella has some food and a rest first, before you unleash yourself on her."

I laughed at his words, yet was still eternally grateful. Thinking about it, I did feel exceptionally tired.

"Do we actually have a bed for Bella, though?" Emmett asked, causing another frown to appear on my forehead. If this carried on, I was going to need some serious wrinkle cream. Or even some botox, knowing Emmett.

Edward suddenly laughed and everybody turned towards him, including myself. He shook his head and spluttered, "Sorry, carry on." I saw Rosalie roll her beautiful eyes at him and Edward stared back innocently.

"You really shouldn't be so nosey, Edward," she scalded, then muttered something quiet which I couldn't hear.

"I couldn't help it," I caught him replying, before adding, "It's a horrible thing, though, _jealousy_."

"You think I'm jealous... of_ you_?" she snorted. "Have you seen what I look like?" Her hands shot to her immaculate hair.

"Yes," Edward replied scornfully. "I see you in every single mirror in the house, several times a _day_."

Jasper suddenly cleared his throat and murmured, "In case you'd both forgotten, we have a _visitor..._"

They both glanced towards me and smiled apologetically. Rosalie muttered, "Sorry. Sometimes I can't control the way in which I speak to Edward, what with him being an annoying piece of..."

Esme cleared her throat and I grinned at the look on Carlisle's face.

"I'm so sorry, Bella," he sighed, shaking his head. "They can be a little immature sometimes. You wouldn't think they were_ teenagers_." His eyes flickered towards them and I smiled in response.

"Anyway," Carlisle continued, sounding a little exhausted. "Where were we?"

"You were talking about taking Bella to bed," Emmett replied.

I felt my cheeks blazing from the sudden heat and wanted to place my head in my hands. I could see that he was laughing again and would quite happily hit him across the face if he didn't look so strong. I peeked up at Carlisle who was staring at Emmett in disbelief.

"I... I..." he stuttered, shaking his head, and I couldn't help smiling; he was so adorable when he stammered. "Bella?" he said, turning towards me. "Are... are you hungry?"

I heard snorts from Emmett and Edward and glared playfully at them again. Something told me that living here was going to be very embarrassing at times.

"Um... no, I'm alright at the moment, thank you," I replied. "But I'm quite tired," I added, peeking at Emmett. "Dealing with_ him_ is very hard work."

He responded with a cheeky wink.

"Yes," Carlisle murmured. "I know the feeling." The tone of his voice gave the impression that he had suffered several similar experiences before involving Emmett. I felt pity towards him, but knew he wasn't taking it all too seriously.

"I've put away all of your stuff in your new room, Bella," Alice suddenly said, skipping by my side. "I think it will be perfect for you."

I smiled at her gratefully. "Thank you." I wasn't even going to ask _how_ she had got into my house.

After wishing the others goodbye, Carlisle led me towards the bedroom, and I felt a strange surge of anticipation in my stomach. Perhaps I shouldn't have worded it in quite that way...

_**Carlisle's POV**_

"Well this looks... cosy," Bella commented, as I led her towards the room Alice had set up just hours earlier.

I closed the door behind us and smiled. "Yes, we all want to make you feel at home."

She sat down on the large bed, placing her crutches beside her, and stared around in what could only be described as awe. I took a seat beside her and we sat in silence. I started listening to her steady breathing as she continued looking in interest. Alice had found several cupboards for Bella's belongings, but there were still many bookcases around the room which she was marvelling at. I eventually followed her gaze to a book which was lying open on the desk.

"Ah yes," I smiled, and she turned to stare at me curiously. "That book is one of my favourites."

I reached to pick up the book, flicking absently through the pages. "I think I've read it nearly a hundred times."

She laughed, such a beautiful sound that was rare nowadays.

"It's my favourite book, too," she said quietly. "My copy's incredibly battered from how many times I've read it."

She smiled to herself and I placed the book back on the desk. There was another short silence, but Bella soon spoke.

"Is this your study or something?" she asked and I nodded.

"I hardly ever use it, so we decided to let you sleep in here. Alice was busy moving a few things around earlier." I explained, hastily adding, "If that's alright with you... is it comfortable enough? I-"

"It's perfect," she answered. "More than I could have asked for. Thank you."

There was suddenly a very loud noise from downstairs and I could distinctly hear the voices of Rosalie and Edward. I groaned; why couldn't they ever behave?

"What was that?" Bella asked with wide eyes and I just shook my head.

"Probably Rosalie and Edward," I sighed. "Most of the time I find it's best not to ask."

She smiled but I recognised the worried look which soon made it's way onto her face. I waited patiently for her to speak.

"Do... do they really want me here?" she asked. "It's just... within ten minutes of me being here, there was an argument..."

"Bella, don't worry about it. They are all very excited to have you here. And those two always argue, anyway. That argument was _nothing _compared to before..." I sighed. "Rosalie has taken a dislike to Edward ever since she lost her make up to him during a bet."

"What does he want her make up for?" she asked and I grinned.

"I'm hoping that it was just to make Rosalie exceptionally angry," I began. "But if you see Edward sneakily putting on some lipstick, please feel free to inform me."

She laughed. "I'll keep a look out. What was the bet about, anyway?"

"Rosalie thought that she could beat Edward at chess," I said, smiling at the memory. "She was soon proved wrong."

"And how long ago was this?" Bella persisted and I replied, "About six months ago."

"Gosh, she can hold a grudge for quite some time," she commented and I nodded. "It's best to stay in Rosalie's good books." She looked temporarily worried before I said, "But she likes you, though. Don't worry."

She exhaled with relief. We sat smiling for a while, before I broke the silence.

"Are you settling in here, then?" I asked. "Does it seem alright for you?"

"I'm extremely grateful for all of this Carlisle, and... and I'm really enjoying myself," she grinned.

"Good," I grinned back, standing up now. "Just tell me whenever anything's wrong."

"I will," she replied quietly, and I stood by the door.

"Will you be alright in here?" I asked once more, hovering and reluctant to leave.

"Carlisle, please don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Thank you."

I took one last look at her and closed the door behind me. I couldn't exactly follow her wishes; I was already worrying about her every second of the day, wondering how bad her suffering was after going through what she had.

As I made my way down the stairs I saw Edward idling down the bottom and he turned as I approached him. He looked at me warily and I smiled.

"Is Bella alright?" he asked and I nodded.

"Carlisle," he murmured quietly, "Try not to worry about her too much. Her thoughts were telling me that she's very comfortable here. She's actually finding it rather amusing at times. And, now I think about it, she didn't really spend too much time thinking about her past. I think she's trying desperately to move on and enjoy herself."

I smiled faintly. "That's good to know. Thank you, son."

He returned the smile. "She will be fine with us, Carlisle, I think she's incredibly happy." He turned to join the others, but murmured, "And, she's very fond of you."

He left me with a wink and I followed to speak to the others, trying not to think too hard about his last comment.

**_Bella's POV_**

I was so overwhelmed by everyone's kindness that, once Carlisle had left the room, I shed a few silent tears of gratitude. My new life was really beginning here... and I couldn't wait.

I closed my eyes with this thought in my head and slept peacefully for the first time in months.

As I slowly opened my eyes the next morning, I was surprised to see a small figure sitting on the edge of my bed. When my eyes eventually focused, I realised that it was Alice, and slowly sat up, smiling at her.

"Morning Bella," she chanted. "How are you feeling?"

I stretched my arms, hearing my joints cracking. "I feel really good actually. This bed is _so_ comfortable."

She looked smug. "I picked it out myself. I have high standards." She twiddled her thumbs for a moment before bouncing towards me. "Now, I got a little carried away while sorting out the room and decided to purchase some new clothes for you... if that's alright?"

I stared at her; how could I possibly object? She didn't give me a chance, though, because she gently pulled me by the arm and sat me on the edge of the bed, being careful with my broken leg. She showed me a large wardrobe and slowly opened the doors, revealing hundreds of perfectly arranged outfits, ready for me to wear. I stood there silently, taking all this in.

"Alice..." I breathed. "This... these are expensive! Why..."

She held up her tiny hand. "Please, Bella, it's really_ fine_. Besides, after what you've been through, you deserve it."

I smiled slightly, staring at my bare feet.

"Now," she declared, "let's see what we can do..."

Carlisle handed me a bowl of cereal a few minutes later and commented on my new clothes, which consisted of a tight dark blue jumper and black jeans.

"You look wonderful, Bella," he smiled and I thanked him, stunned at Alice's ability to choose clothes. I'd never worn anything this nice in my life.

"All courtesy of Alice," I grinned. "But is she going to be my own personal alarm clock every single day?"

Carlisle looked confused so I explained.

"I was woken this morning by her and_ forced_ out of my bed to change into these clothes," I told him and he chuckled.

"Not that I'm complaining," I hastily added as Alice walked into the room, looking suspiciously like she had just heard my entire conversation. She grinned, grabbing some toast and skipping out of the room. I proceeded to finish my cereal, shaking my head. These people amazed me.

_2 months later_

As the time passed by without me really noticed it, I was surprised when Carlisle told me that I could remove the cast on my leg.

"It should be completely healed now," he smiled. "Does it hurt anymore?"

I shook my head. "I'd forgotten it was broken, to be honest."

He chuckled and began gently sorting me out. I tried not to shiver everytime his fingers brushed on my bare skin.

I slowly stood up and walked across the room, exceptionally pleased that I could walk without assistance. My life seemed to be slowly getting better and better.

"So..." Emmett spoke, looking around at everyone who was seated in the lounge. "What are we doing today?"

I immediately felt a sense of worry, though it quickly vanished to be replaced by a wave of calm. I looked around the room and Jasper smiled at me for some reason. I returned it politely.

"I think," Alice began, standing up, "we should play_ baseball_."

I widened my eyes in alarm. The very thought of me handling a baseball bat seemed to point towards disaster. Everyone's eyes seemed to land on mine and my cheeks painted with colour.

"Um... well... I... I haven't actually _played _that," I shrugged, trying to dissuade them. "Maybe s-something else?"

Edward intervened rather loudly, much to my relief. "Yes, I don't think we should play baseball today. How about bowling?"

My face lit up; bowling was just about my favourite sport and I couldn't honestly remember the last time I'd been. Carlisle noticed my happiness and smiled widely.

"Bowling it is."


	23. Twenty Three

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Three_

_**Bella's POV**_

"Size five, please. Thanks."

I took the shoes from the counter and joined Carlisle, who was busy talking to Edward but quickly looked up towards me as I sat beside him.

"Okay?" he asked and I nodded.

"Except they're having problems trying to find shoes big enough for Emmett's feet," Alice added, joining our side.

I glanced over and saw that Emmett's feet were easily twice the size of mine, causing me to snort. "Have you ever recommended that he joins the circus? I hear being a clown is very entertaining..."

Edward sniggered. "Yes, we have actually. Several times."

I smiled. "What did he say?"

"Well, he didn't say much, but he made a gesture which I really wouldn't want to share with you," he replied.

Jasper soon stood beside Alice, wrapping his arm around her shoulders. I couldn't help noticing the slight grimace on his face and tried to persuade myself that it wasn't due to my presence. He had seemed to like me before...

Eventually, Esme, Emmett and Rosalie gathered around us, causing a grin to appear on everyone's faces. I distinctly heard Edward disguise a laugh with a cough and peeked up at Emmett who was moving his legs around in some sort of dance.

"Um... Emmett?" I asked. "Is there something wrong?"

He grumbled. "They only provide shoes up to size nine. These are slowly scrunching my toes together."

I bit my lip with all the force I could manage; Rosalie was looking around suspiciously and I didn't want to get on the wrong side of her.

We made our way towards the alley, Carlisle staying close to my side; it seemed that he was still wary of my safety, even though my confidence had been boosted dramatically over the weeks.

As I took a seat, I watched Alice beginning to prepare the screen with all of our names, a tremendous task considering that she was busy deliberating with Edward about which clown name to pick for Emmett; they couldn't decide between Coco and Bob.

I grinned to myself and took a quick glance around the room; my heart seemed to stop as I noticed a familiar flash of blonde hair coming from the other side of the room. Megan.

"Carlisle," I whispered, jerking my eyes towards her. "It's her! Meg...!"

His eyes visibly narrowed. "Just ignore her. She isn't worth your time."

I shook my head. "No, don't you realise? Everyone at work thinks we're both ill! What if she sees us?"

"If she sees us..." he pondered, "then we'll just have to ask why she isn't at work also. That wouldn't go down to well with the others." He paused. "And besides, she's certainly caused more wrongdoing than us two." There was a long silence before he hastily added, "I'm sorry, I shouldn't have brought that up..."

I smiled, shaking my head. "Don't worry. That sounds like a plan to me."

He smiled back at me in relief and looked up towards Alice, who had just bounced over towards us.

"We're ready!" she squealed and I squinted up at the screen; I was first up. I quickly retrieved a light bowling ball and took my place in the middle of the alley. After closing one eye to perfect my aim, I threw the ball with as much strength as I could gather, and watched in disbelief as it smoothly knocked down all of the pins. Woah.

There were cheers and applause coming from behind me and I spun around, rejoining my new family. I gave Alice a proud high five and sat beside Carlisle, who was smiling beautifully. He placed his arm around my shoulders and I jolted in happy surprise.

"Well done," he said happily. "I never knew you were so good at this!"

I smirked back. "I have many hidden talents."

Carlisle stood up next and I desperately tried to ignore Emmett who was loudly complimenting my handling of the balls.

* * *

"I think there should have at_ least_ been a prize for the winner," Rosalie mumbled as we headed back towards the house. I heard Edward heavily sigh beside me.

"You wouldn't be saying that if you lost," he snapped. "And besides, that last strike was just luck."

She turned around to purposely glare at him. "Stop moaning Edward, it's most unattractive."

And she suddenly stalked off, walking through the door with a surprising speed. I heard Edward mutter something incoherent under his breath, before disappearing inside also. One by one, the others left, leaving Carlisle and myself.

"I really enjoyed myself today," I smiled as we made our way up the steps. "Despite losing at the last minute."

Carlisle chuckled. "Never mind. You were the best, in my opinion. Incredibly talented."

I looked towards the floor. "Thanks. I guess it's passed down from my..."

I trailed off, staring ahead in disbelief. After everything that had happened... the baby... Mark... I hadn't even talked to _my parents_ yet...

I suddenly felt a wave of guilt and fear... they had a right to know, yet I was terrified. Mom was so excited about the baby, but knowing it was no longer happening, she would be devastated.

"Bella? Is something wrong?"

I slowly turned towards Carlisle. "Can... can I please borrow your phone?"

I dragged my feet upstairs into my room and closed the door quietly behind me. I hesitantly made my bed, trying to prolong the call as long as I could. After the sheets were perfectly neat and everything was lined up, I slumped down on top and picked up the call, dialling the numbers with shaking fingers. I placed it towards my ear and soon heard Mom's voice... I swallowed loudly.

"Hi Mom, it's... B-Bella," I whispered and waited patiently as she began rambling excitedly.

"Bella! Why haven't we heard from you in so long? Gosh, it's been months! How's the baby? How are _you_? Is everything well?"

I closed my eyes tightly, unable to speak just yet.

"Bella? Bella are you there?"

"Yes... yes Mom, I'm here. There's... there's s-something I need to tell you."

I heard a sharp intake of breath. "Are you getting married? Oh my gosh, Bella! I..."

"No, Mom," I sighed shakily. "I'm... I'm not getting married. Mark and myself have... split up."

There was a long silence so I added, "And... and I l-lost the... baby."

Tears were freely falling down my cheeks now. I had been trying to ignore of all this up until now, for the sake of Carlisle and his family, yet thinking about it still broke my heart. The raw pain in my chest never seemed to go away.

"Bella... oh Bella! _No_!" Mom breathed. "Oh Bella, when did this happen? I'm so sorry! No..."

I sniffed. "It's okay, M-Mom... it was two m-months ago."

"Why didn't you tell us? Oh, _Bella_, we could have helped you..."

I closed my eyes. "It's alright, Mom, I'm... I'm staying with a friend. I'm okay."

"Are you, Bella? Are you really, though?" Mom asked. She knew me well.

"I'm... better," I sighed. "Carlisle's really helping me."

"Who?"

"Carlisle. He's a colleague from w-work. He offered to look after me."

There was a long silence before I heard her exhale.

"Alright. We'd like to come and see you though, Bella, we're so sorry."

I nodded. "Yeah... maybe. I'll... I'll have to ask Carlisle."

"Okay, love," she replied. "Just... _please_ take care of yourself. I'm so sorry... We'll see you soon, hopefully."

I smiled slightly. "Yes. Soon. Bye, Mom."

"Bye Bella. We love you."

"I love you too. Both of you."

The phone went silent and it slipped out of my fingers as I curled up into a ball, crying out all of my intensified pain.

**_Carlisle's POV_**

I glanced up the stairs, unbearably curious and worried about Bella. There was something wrong... I knew it.

I turned back around and headed towards Edward. Perhaps he had heard something which Bella had thought; I knew her mind was private, yet I felt the need to know her thoughts, to soothe her worries.

"Edward?" I called, placing my hand on his shoulder. He faced me and frowned.

"Is something wrong?" he asked, heading out into the other room with me. I nodded.

"Did you hear any of Bella's thoughts before?" He shook his head and I sighed. "I was with Bella and she suddenly froze, asking to use our phone..."

He narrowed his eyes. "Maybe she'll tell you why after she's finished?"

I hung my head. "I'm just... worried."

He nodded. "You're always worried, Carlisle. Worried about everyone else, worried about their feelings... worried about your work... worried that everything's _your_ fault." He paused. "Just relax a little, it's not all your fault."

I smiled weakly, and noticed that Bella was heading down the stairs towards us both. I immediately noticed her watery eyes and saw that she was shaking a little. I hurried over towards her instinctively, while Edward headed back towards the others.

"Bella, is something wrong?" I asked and she just closed her eyes.

"I just remembered..." she breathed. "I'd never told my parents about everything... so I decided it was t-time to do so."

I reached for her hand. "Oh, Bella... that must have been difficult... I'm sorry."

She shook her head. "Thank you. But I'm okay. They were asking if they could visit s-sometime..." She looked up towards me expectantly.

"Of course," I nodded. "I would love to meet them."

She smiled. "Thank you." After sniffing, she glanced towards her watch. "Ooh it's time for my favourite programme!"

I grinned. "We'll have to see if the television is currently unoccupied."

"If it isn't, they'll have _me_ to deal with."

"I'd be frightened," I added.

She laughed and followed me towards the lounge.

* * *

After Bella had finished her food and settled down a little, Alice leapt up in the middle of the room, demanding everyone's attention. As usual.

"Why don't we play charades?" she grinned and I looked towards Bella, who seemed willing to fulfill Alice's wishes. There was a murmur of general agreement around the room, and Bella was soon standing up, moving her arms around and laughing.

"So it's one word?" Jasper frowned and Bella nodded.

Bella drew a rectangle in the air with her finger and Edward shouted, "Television show!"

Bella nodded enthusiastically, before continuing to hunch over and walk slowly, making great emphasis on limping. When nobody guessed, she sighed dramatically and began placing her hands together like a roof. There were no noises from around the room and she groaned, pointing around, before limping again. Then, it came to me.

"House! It's House!" I grinned, knowing her love for the show, as Bella sighed.

"Finally! You should have known considering I watch it at the same time every single _day_!"

There were laughs around the room and I took Bella's place, thinking hard. My thoughts turned towards Bella's preferences, and I quickly began pretending to crank up an old movie camera.

"A film," Rosalie contributed and I nodded.

I then pretended to hold a wand in my hand and pointed it towards random people, miming spells. I knew Bella was a loyal fan of Harry Potter and was hoping that she would guess soon, so I couldn't make too much of a fool of myself. When nobody uttered a word, though, I slumped my shoulders and pointed towards my forehead, drawing a zig zag. There was still no response, so I placed both hands on my head, pretending that it was a long, point hat. This seemed to spark some thoughts, because Emmett shouted, "It's those books that Bella's always reading... Harry Trotter!"

Everyone sighed and Bella placed her head in her hands, grinning. "Potter!"

"You should have guessed that one, Bella," I teased.

She replied with a shake of her head and a smirk.

It was Emmett's turn in the middle of the room and I quickly averted my gaze as he began jumping around, thrusting at random objects. I exchanged an exasperated look with Bella and she laughed, the joy lighting up her previously troubled face.

* * *

"I never would have guessed _that_ one," Bella grinned, looking up at me from underneath the covers. I shook my head at the memory.

"Sometimes, I wonder about Emmett... whether he secretly has the mental age of a three year old."

Bella snorted. "That wouldn't surprise me."

She leaned back against the pillows and I smiled, staring at the floor.

"I had a great time again today," she sighed, causing me to look towards her. Her eyes seemed to sparkle at me.

"I'm glad to hear that."

There was a short silence before Bella asked, "When can my parents come over? If it's alright with everybody... it's just... I'd like to see them."

"It's fine, Bella, honestly," I paused. "Perhaps the day after tomorrow?"

She considered this, before beaming towards me. "Thank you, Carlisle. Although..." Her face turned grim. "Should I tell them about... well... him?"

Anger temporarily filled me but I managed to control it. "It's up to you, Bella."

She nodded slowly, then heavily sighed. "I don't see why they should have to know. Maybe it's best if... if it remains in the past."

"Yes," I agreed. "The less we think about... _him_... the better."

She smiled drowsily and I headed towards the door, turning off the light.

"What's in store for tomorrow?" Bella asked suddenly and I grinned in the doorway.

"I'll have to think about that. Sleep well."


	24. Twenty Four

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Four_

_**Bella's POV**_

I felt oddly nervous as the time arrived for my parents' visit; not only did I know that they were going to be probing me with plenty of concerned questions, but there was also the added worry of them meeting the Cullens. I obviously knew that they were warm and welcoming, that was fine, but I knew that my Mom was _scarily_ observant. I had a horrific feeling that she would realise my clear affection for Carlisle and then jump to the conclusion that my relationship with Mark, well... if you could call it that, had ended with an affair. I could just imagine the type of things that Emmett would say...

As I pondered these thoughts, I suddenly felt a strange wave of calmness pass through me and I exhaled heavily. All around me there were blurs of white as everybody rushed around, hurriedly cleaning and preparing for the visit. I jumped as a familiar voice suddenly arrived by my ear.

"How are you feeling?"

I turned around and my heart fluttered a little when I realised that it was Carlisle. I blinked several times and slowed my erratic breathing.

"I'm a bit scared," I admitted with a sigh. "But I'm sure-"

"That it will all be fine," he smiled, placing his hands on my shoulders. I smiled slightly and murmured. "I hope so."

"Don't worry," Carlisle continued. "We've ensured that Emmett will be under control; he's on a leash for today."

I laughed, pretending to wipe sweat off my forehead. "Phew, I can relax now that I know that."

He grinned. "That's good to know." I saw him quickly glance at the clock. "Right, shall we go down to the entrance to meet them?"

I took a deep breath. "Yes... I guess we should."

I would have found it funny that we had to guide my parents to the house if I wasn't so damn nervous. Carlisle seemed to notice this, though, because he gave my hand a reassuring squeeze, causing sparks to shoot through my body.

We made our way down the path, making light conversation along the way, when I suddenly heard the distinct roar of my parents' engine. I nearly squealed in anticipation and nerves as the car came into view and I smiled at seeing the familiar faces. Carlisle also smiled towards them and gestured at the house with his hand. I noticed my Mom's clearly dazzled face and grinned to myself; that must be a mirror image of what I first looked like meeting Carlisle.

A few minutes later, after Carlisle showed them the way, I noticed them stepping out of the car to be greeted by Edward. I exchanged a quick glance with Carlisle as we caught up with the others and Mom pulled me into a tight hug.

"Bella!" she sighed, holding me in a death grip. "I'm_ so_ sorry about everything! You shouldn't have had to go through that! Oh, you poor girl... You do look well, though!"

I smiled and managed to splutter, "Please, Mom, I need some air..."

There were laughs around me as she let go and stood still, taking in my appearance. She then visibly glanced at Carlisle and I saw her doing a double take.

"A-Am I going to be introduced?" Mom asked me and I grinned.

"Mom, Dad, this is Carlisle..."

Dad shook Carlisle's hand in appreciation and Mom merely stared in awe. I heard Dad whisper, "Keep your eyes in their sockets, Renee," and I snorted.

"Anyway, these are Emmett and Rosalie, Alice and Jasper, and Esme and Edward."

I was relieved to see that my parents seem to approve because they looked noticeably happy. The Cullens seemed to have that effect on people.

"Shall we go inside?" Carlisle suggested, and there were murmurs of agreement as we made our way to the house. He gave me a reassuring smile before I set off talking to Dad.

* * *

Esme handed Mom a cup of coffee and sat down beside Edward, who seemed incredibly amused at something. I knew from experience that it was best _not_ to ask.

I noticed Dad looking around at the surroundings and, when he caught my eye, he shook his head in astonishment. "This is a wonderful house," he commented and there were thanks from around the room.

"Esme designed it," Carlisle told Dad. "She's interested in interior designing."

"Well, it's beautiful," Dad smiled, and Esme replied modestly.

After taking a sip from her drink, Mom turned towards me. "So, how did you meet C..." She hesitated. "Carl... is it?"

I grinned. "It's Carlisle, Mom," I replied, emphasising each syllable. "And we met on my first day at work." I glanced at Carlisle who just smiled.

"Yes," he began, "Bella had an accident involving some stairs-"

"That sounds like our Bella," Dad laughed, and I hung my head, grimacing.

"So, are... are you coping well?" Mom asked tentatively and I began chewing on one of my nails; I didn't want this topic to arise.

"Um... yes, I guess so. Everyone here has been very welcoming."

My parents didn't look convinced, but they hastily changed the subject by asking Carlisle about the television. I took this opportunity to let my mind wander and began thinking about some of the memories I'd experienced here. It was only when I heard my name some time later that I snapped out of my daydream.

"Bella?"

I looked up towards Dad and shook my head, smiling.

"Sorry, what were you saying?"

"We were wondering whether you'd like to come on holiday with us later this year?" He paused. "We were thinking of going to Spain."

I stared at him. "Well... well that sounds fantastic... but-"

"Don't start protesting, Bella," Mom began. "We know you're thinking about any problems it would cause us, but it's _our_ treat. If you want to go, that is."

I glanced at Carlisle who smiled, after a while.

"Well... if you're sure, then I... I'd love to!"

I suddenly felt incredibly emotional. It was all I had ever wished for, to get away from _him _and to spend more time with my parents. Well, _nearly _all I'd wished for. Carlisle was still waiting on the list. But I'd get solve that problem eventually. Hopefully.

"That's that, then," Mom smiled. "We're going to book the tickets tomorrow."

"Great," I nodded. "That sounds... great." I couldn't ignore the strangely sad look on Carlisle's face.

There was a little silence before Esme spoke. "Are you all ready for some food?"

Dad clapped his hands in appreciation. "Ooh, yes please," he grinned. Mom nudged his shoulder, murmuring something about his belly. I heard him snap back "It's not _that_ big!"

"Um, I'll help you Esme, if you like..." I volunteered.

She nodded happily. "That would be lovely, Bella."

And I left the room with her, avoiding Carlisle's sad gaze.

* * *

I was retrieving some plates from the cupboard, when Esme's gentle voice startled me. She didn't usually talk much, and I had to try very hard not to drop what I was holding because of the surprise.

"Do you think they like us, Bella?" she asked carefully, and I turned around to see her looking oddly worried. "Your parents, I mean."

"Um, yeah, I really think they do," I answered, adding a genuine smile for good measure.

"We didn't want to feel intimidating in any way..." she frowned, handling some tomatoes absentmindedly with her fingers.

"Why would you think that?" I joined her side and watched as she placed the whole tomato into a salad bowl.

She quickly shook her head. "Never mind. I'm just glad they're comfortable."

She began adding some lettuce and I tactfully picked up the tomato she had placed in the bowl, much to her surprise.

"Um, Esme, you need to chop this into slices... It's a bit difficult to eat whole," I told her and she closed her eyes.

"Sorry, I forgot," she dithered, reaching for a knife. "I was just a little worried, that's all."

I was very much beginning to like this woman. I liked all of the family, really, but it was Esme who had seemed the most intimidating at first, being Carlisle's ex-wife. But now I could see that she was just a genuinely caring, kind person. She always had other people's thoughts and feelings as her first priority and I truly admired her for that. Also, seeing as she didn't have a grudge against Carlisle, she was making everything so much easier. That is if I ever _get _anywhere with Carlisle, which isn't looking likely at the moment...

After finishing preparing the salad she added some chicken to three plates and placed them on a tray. I looked towards her with a frown.

"Esme, isn't anybody else eating anything, besides my parents and myself?"

"No," she answered, not meeting my eyes. "Everyone agreed that we weren't that hungry. Besides, we're not too fond of chicken."

I slowly nodded in suspicion. During my time here, I didn't think that I had ever seen _any_ of them eating. Were they on a special diet of some sort? Or did they have health problems they hadn't informed me about?

"Shall we take these in?" Esme asked, interrupting my thoughts.

"Uh, yeah, okay," I answered, shaking my head. Perhaps they just felt awkward eating in front of me. It was probably nothing.

* * *

When I woke up the next day I felt incredibly happy. Yesterday had been a very enjoyable day and it seemed that Mom and Dad had approved of my company. They had promised to call me soon with more news on the holiday, which was another thing to look forward to. I lay there smiling to myself, and waited for myself to fully wake up.

After another delicious breakfast, which nobody except myself seemed to be eating once more, I glanced towards the fridge and noticed that it was looking strangely empty. This seemed like a perfect opportunity for me to get out of the house... not that I objected to staying here, I just wanted to have some time on my own to think.

"Would you mind if I took a quick trip to the shops? It's seems that we're running low on food..." I commented, before adding in an undertone, "and I'm the only person who seems to be eating it."

Carlisle's eyes widened before he warily asked, "Bella, do you really want to go out on your own? I could come with you if you wish-"

I had guessed this would happen... "Carlisle, I'm not trying to be nasty, and I appreciate your offer, but I do want to go on my own. It would be nice to have some time to think... I'm sorry," I added, as his face seemed disappointed.

"No, it's fine, I'm just worried, as usual," he sighed. "But if you're sure..."

I nodded. "I am. Thank you."

He hesitated. "Shall I take you there in the car?"

This would probably make him feel a little less concerned, so I smiled and replied, "Okay. Thanks, Carlisle."

* * *

After the short journey in his black Mercedes, I slowly stepped out of the car and leaned in through the open window.

"Are you sure, now?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm sure," I smiled. "Thank you, I really appreciate your concern but I will be fine. I'll see you in an hour."

And with a small, reluctant smile, he left.

* * *

A little time later, I stepped outside the shop and waited for Carlisle. My arms were weighed down with the bags, but I was pleased for the time out. I had met a few familiar faces, and it was nice to talk to some other people besides the Cullens.

The freedom was refreshing, too, but I was ready to return to my family.

I sat down on a nearby bench and looked around, watching groups of cars and people passing by. They all seemed in a hurry, rushing around like they had no time to spare at all. Feeling slightly depressed by this, I glanced up at the sky, watching the clouds travelling slowly in the breeze.

It was only when my gaze returned back to the ground that my heart stopped with shock.

Directly in front of me, parked on the pavement was my old truck.

I noticed Mark sitting in the driver's seat, staring in my direction, and within seconds I saw him rushing out, the car door slamming violently behind him. I turned to stand up and run, but he was too quick and, before I could even react, his arms locked around me and he yanked me into the car. I screamed and protested, but nobody passing by seemed too bothered to help; they just looked up with interest, then hurriedly walked away, not wanting to be involved.

I felt a horrific rush of fear as he sat beside me, fiercely locking the doors as I pulled at the handle. His face seemed grubbier than before and his hair was messy and almost straw-like. Anger filled his cold eyes and I saw his black fingernails gripping the steering wheel, his tendons straining in protest.

"Bella," he sneered, and I winced at his cold voice which brought back haunting memories. I quickly grabbed for the door handle again and yanked it with as much force as I could manage, but nothing happened. I slumped back into the seat helplessly and listened to his laughter.

"Looks like you're trapped, doesn't it?"

He menacingly twisted the key in the ignition and the engine roared to life.

"Right, then," he breathed. "Let's go for a little ride."

And he sped off, leaving my scattered shopping bags on the floor.


	25. Twenty Five

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Five_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I had suffered a very anxious wait during Bella's time away; I couldn't really control it, because bad experiences in the past had caused me to worry beyond what was really necessary.

Still, I forced those thoughts out of my head as I pushed down on the accelerator, racing towards the shopping centre. I groaned as the traffic lights ahead of me slowly turned red and I unwillingly ground to a halt, waiting impatiently behind the queue of cars in front of me. I briefly thought of the time when Bella and myself were both trapped in a traffic jam, and smiled to myself; that felt like such a long time ago and so much had changed.

I drummed my fingers on the wheel and raised my head so that I could see past the cars; nothing much seemed to be happening ahead and I felt like jumping out of the car and running past everyone. I didn't know whether I could wait much longer...

Just before I seriously considered leaving the car, the lights changed and I exhaled with relief, rushing forwards towards my destination.

After what felt like an eternity, I eventually pulled up outside the shop and frowned as I saw a pile of unattended shopping bags discarded on a nearby bench. I quickly parked my car and stepped out to take a closer look at the bags. As I rummaged through the contents, my body went cold as I retrieved a box of chocolate bars; Bella's favourite ones.

It could be a coincidence. Yes. That was the most likely explanation... but then again, where _was_ Bella?

I turned around quickly and saw no sign of her. Perhaps she was running late; but then, wouldn't she have informed me?

I hurriedly checked my watch and saw that it was ten minutes past the time we had decided to meet; I was seriously beginning to worry then... If anything had happened to her...

I shuddered, before hearing the distinct sound of somebody running in the distance. I listened carefully, and suddenly Alice burst into my vision, rushing towards me with an incredibly anxious look on her face. If my heart was still beating, it would have stopped by then.

"Carlisle!" she spluttered. "Carlisle! Bella! Bella's been taken by her ex-partner!"

I just stared at her in disbelief and she continued talking, although it sounded like a distant noise.

"I just saw it now... he grabbed her and threw her in the truck... Carlisle! He was angry; really, incredibly angry!"

Even though I didn't need to, I couldn't breathe. It felt like everything was crashing down around me. Bella was with Mark, the person who caused her harm without even batting an eyelid. He was probably after revenge because of everything that had happened, after her telling me about everything.

It was all my fault. If only I had accompanied her... I should have absolutely insisted.

I swallowed shakily.

"A-Alice... did you see where he's taken her?" I murmured, trying my hardest to focus on her face without seeing Bella's, screaming with worry.

"I'm sorry Carlisle, I don't know... but it was secluded, like in the middle of the forest. What are we gonna do?"

I stared at the floor for a long time, before finally nodding. "We will try to find her before..." I paused. "Before anything happens. Can you please ask the others to search with us?"

She nodded and turned on her heel, preparing to leave, but I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder.

"Please, Alice, we really need to find her..." It surprised me how much my voice shook. "_Please_. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to her."

She nodded solemnly. "I promise Carlisle, we'll do everything we can."

And, before I could blink, she disappeared off into the distance. I stared ahead for a long time, unable to move... too scared to find what had happened. It was only when somebody tapped my shoulder that I turned around jerkily, to be greeted by an old woman with a concerned look on her face.

"I'm sorry to interfere, but are you looking for somebody? Does she have long brown hair, a pale face? She was quite slim... She was carrying those bags before he took her..."

I looked at her with an open mouth, before nodding rigidly.

"Did you see where she went?" I quickly asked. "Please, this is really urgent."

She sighed. "A man came along and forced her into a faded orange truck." I nodded impatiently. "And they went down there..."

She pointed to a road leading into the forest and I took a shaky breath, smiling absently at her.

"Thank you so much," I called behind me as I rushed off towards the path.

"I hope she'll be alright!" she shouted, but I didn't turn back.

"Yes. I hope so too..." I murmured.

She must have seen it correctly because I could faintly recognise Bella's sweet scent in the distance. I followed it desperately as it led me deeper into the unknown.

_**Bella's POV **_

Mark remained deadly silent as we raced through a deserted forest road which I wasn't familiar with. The fear prickled in every part of my body; I clutched onto the truck seat hopelessly, praying that nothing bad would happen. The words from months ago echoed in my mind on a loop.

_I will kill you._

I sobbed with terror; he had caused our child's death... and now he was going to cause mine.

I just prayed that it would be fast.

My last few months had been the best of my life; spending so much time with Carlisle and his wonderful family, just living for the fun of it. Doing things together, and not having to worry.

I suddenly had one regret. One horrible, heartbreaking regret.

I should have told Carlisle about my feelings. I knew it was too late now, though, and my emotions would just have to remain with me, even in my death.

The truck hurtled along and I glanced at Mark's fingernails, gripped tightly onto the steering wheel. His face was full of fury and I could tell that he was planning my death, or at least what he was going to do with him.

"Why the_ hell_ did you tell him?" he spat suddenly, and I jumped at the sound of his voice. I shivered involuntarily.

"I... I had t-to," I answered quietly and his free hand grabbed mine. I winced at his eyes, full with hatred.

"No you _didn't_," he sneered. "And why him? He's just a... a..._ lowlife_."

I gasped at his words. Carlisle was ten times the man Mark was. I felt my anger bubble over and felt the natural instinct to protect him.

"You don't know h-him, you can't say that!" I snapped. "You're the only lowlife around here Mark, not Carlisle!"

He looked at me in shock and hatred. "You'll regret saying that, you _bitch_!" His hand clamped around mine and I flinched as he continued tightening his grip. I felt something snap in one of my fingers and screeched at the pain.

"That's just a taster of what's to come," he yelled, thrusting his foot on the accelerator. The manic way in which his eyes seemed to light up suggested that he was enjoying this; he was nothing more than a cruel sadist.

The truck raced uncontrollably down a sudden hill and I sobbed quietly. I had never expected my life to end like this. I had so much more planned...

I wanted to travel, see the world. Wake up and not live in fear of the day ahead. Visit my parents more often than just once or twice a year and spend valuable time with them.

Confess my feelings to Carlisle.

_Carlisle_.

I cried helplessly and huddled up in the truck, closing my eyes shut tight and trying to block out the horrific reality around me. It was only when I heard Mark's strangely panicked voice that I opened them.

"The brake's not working," he hissed, stabbing hastily at the floor. I looked at him in horror.

"That's... Mark that's a sick j-joke," I replied jumpily, trying to convince myself that he was lying. He looked at me with undeniable worry and my stomach seemed to drop.

"Seriously," he muttered, gesturing towards the ineffective brakes. "I'm being bloody serious."

I couldn't breathe.

I remembered back when I had had trouble with the brakes before, on my way to the conference...

The air whooshing past us as we tumbled down the hill seemed even more daunting now. The trees flashed by in threatening blurs of green and brown.

I was going to die. We were going to crash.

Please _no..._

_This was really it._

I clutched at my seatbelt and closed my eyes, praying for as little pain as possible. I'd already suffered enough to last a lifetime. Please make this be peaceful.

Before I could think anymore, the car suddenly flew into the air and I inhaled a final breath, feeling sick at the lightness in my body. It wasn't long before we came into contact with the ground again, and I began jerking around as the car rolled over several times, before grinding to a halt in a crumpled pile.

Pain was _everywhere_. There was shattered glass covering my body, my limbs felt heavy and every part of me seemed to throb in waves. My head in particular felt like it was burning.

My eyes slowly closed as the agony suddenly overwhelmed me.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

I raced hastily through the forest, becoming increasingly desperate to see a glimpse of the truck. Anything. I had been running for miles, yet I didn't slow, didn't stop. I couldn't. Bella needed me.

I suddenly heard a deafening sound from in the distance and I slowed to a stop. My body ground to a halt and it seemed to run cold with fear. I took a shaky breath and, suddenly, from behind me, everybody caught up. I saw Alice, Jasper, Edward, Esme, Rosalie and Emmett, all with looks of pain and anguish on their faces. Alice whispered a few words which felt like daggers in my chest.

"I saw the truck crash."

I sprinted forwards, hearing them trying to catch up from behind, but I pushed ahead, and that was when I saw it.

I saw the crumpled remains of the truck with smoke rushing upwards into the sky.

As I approached closer, everything around me seemed to crumble.

I saw Bella lying there, broken and bleeding, and my whole body ached with such a pain that I thought it was beyond my capacity.

It hurt me to see her in agony, and I knew that she was close to death; this fact disturbed me deeply, more than anything ever had. A world without Bella seemed wrong... I didn't know if I could live knowing she ceased to.

This wasn't happening. This _couldn't_ be happening... She'd already been through enough, surely?

Somebody's voice pulled me out of my doomed trance.

"Carlisle," Edward said hurriedly. "You can still save her, she's just breathing."

"Yes, there's still time, Carlisle!" Alice pitched in. "But I don't think her partner's survived."

"What a shame," I heard Emmett mutter.

I rigidly leaned in closer towards her and the smell of her blood bewildered me. I could see from the corner of my eye that Jasper was suffering; he was leaning against a tree, controlling his breathing.

My eyes moved back to Bella and I felt a jolt of panic. What if I hurt her whilst trying to save her? I couldn't bear the thought.

"What should I d-do?" I asked, my voice breaking with the worry. Rosalie looked at me with fierce confidence.

"Carlisle," she said. "You_ can_ save her. You know what to do."

I stumbled forwards, hesitating. I placed my hands gently onto Bella and began removing her from the tangled mess. It was horrifying seeing her so damaged.

Edward and myself slowly laid her out on the forest floor and I closed my eyes in despair; these images would haunt me for the rest of my life.

"Her partner's dead," Esme concluded. "What should we do with his body?"

"We should leave it here in the car, so it doesn't look too suspicious," Alice said, and everyone nodded. Everyone besides me.

Bella was slipping away. Her breathing was ragged and forced, and she wasn't moving much.

It broke my heart.

"Carlisle," Edward said, sitting by my side. "Is she still... alive?"

I nodded fractionally. "Only j-just."

It was then that Bella moved in my arms. Her eyelids fluttered weakly and she moaned, slowing opening them. Within a second of her doing so, her face contorted in pain and I held her tightly in my arms.

"Bella?" I said quietly. "B-Bella? It's me, Carlisle."

She focused her drooping eyes on me, before launching into a horrifying cough which seemed to cut right through me. She was deathly pale.

After several agonised seconds, she whispered, "W-what... h-h-happened?"

"Your... your truck crashed, B-Bella," I said calmly, trying to contain my pain. "I'm s-sorry, your ex p-partner... he's dead."

She closed her eyes, considering this fact. I was sure she wasn't too upset about it; after all that he'd done to her he_ nearly_ deserved this. Although, I would never wish death upon somebody. But I didn't care about him at the moment.

"It... it h-hurts," she groaned, and whimpered feebly in my arms. My body ached as she spoke.

"I know, I know... but we'll," I broke off, closing my eyes. "We'll help you Bella."

She looked at me intensely, her eyes defocusing on and off. "Please... Please Carlisle, d-don't let me die." She coughed roughly. "I'm... I'm _f-finally_ free of him... I s-should have a life to l-live with... with you. _Please_."

During her last words, her body jerked in pain and I jumped back, alarmed. I could see Edward looking at me.

"Carlisle," he said in a hard voice. "Do it. She wants to live." He stared at me. "You heard her, she's finally free of him. You should do it."

I breathed heavily. "But... but it would _hurt_ her. It's not really my decision to m-make." My voice broke whenever I tried to speak.

Alice joined Edward's side. "Carlisle, just think about it. Could you really live without her?"

I considered this fact and knew the truth. I shook my head slowly. "That's selfish of me."

"We know you can do it," she continued, holding my hand. Esme now joined my side, along with Jasper, Emmett and Rosalie. It was becoming very crowded and intimidating.

"It's your choice," Esme said quietly, and I looked at her. In her eyes, I knew what she wanted me to do and I took in a deep breath, before raising Bella gently up towards me.

"Bella?" I whispered quietly. She grumbled weakly in response, barely conscious. "Bella, I'm g-going to save you. I'm s-sorry, it's... it's going to h-hurt. I'm truly, _truly_ sorry."

I took one last look at each member of my family. Their gazes were all encouraging, yet I felt an incredible burden upon me. I hadn't done anything like this in years, and Bella was so special to me...

No, I could do this. I _would_…

_I've got to._

I slowly closed my eyes and, after gathering all my strength, I sunk my teeth into her soft neck. It was easy, like a knife slicing through butter, and the taste of her beautiful blood caressed my lips, tempting me. But, despite this, I pulled away quickly, afraid that the sensation might become too overwhelming.

I dragged a hand across my mouth and looked down at Bella; I could see her horrified and confused face gazing up at me, before she began shaking in pain and my heart shattered once more.

She was terrified of me.


	26. Twenty Six

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Six_

_**Bella's POV**_

What was happening? Had Carlisle just _bitten_ me?

And why did it feel like fire was burning through my veins, slowly torturing me and causing my body to shudder in agony?

I couldn't see; everything around me was black and fear prickled through every inch of my body. There were rushes of sound surrounding me, but they all seemed muffled and panicked, as though I was drowning under murky water. I heard my name mentioned several times but I felt that, if I moved my mouth to respond, a horrifying scream of pain would escape my lips. I clamped down on my lip with my teeth, but the sting of doing so was drowned out by the flames.

What was _happening_?

I tried to move my arms, desperately wanting to reassure myself that I wasn't paralysed but, when I did so, the torment intensified and I had to scrunch my fingers together and grip onto the nearest thing towards me.

A strange sensation suddenly alerted me to the fact that I was being moved. I tried to curl myself up in a ball in a feeble attempt to dull the pain, but was hit with another wave of heat. It stung every part of me and I wanted it to end.

I wanted to die... anything to stop this. _Please._

My back arched as the torture increased. A whimper escaped my lips and, after that, I couldn't stop myself.

"_Please..._" I pleaded with a throaty gasp. "P-please... it... hurts... _stop_..."

"It's okay, B-Bella... you're going to be alright..."

I vaguely recognised the voice from somewhere and cried out once more.

"Make it..._ stop_!" I screamed, sobbing now. It felt like the tears should evaporate from my skin due to the heat, yet they trailed downwards, providing no relief.

"I... I'm sorry, I _c-can't_!" the voice replied, and I squeezed my eyes tight, moaning uncontrollably. The energy was slowly draining from my body and I wanted it to end.

"Please... just... just... _kill me_! _Please_."

There was a long silence as I waited for everything to end. _Prayed_ for everything to end. _Please_.

_**Carlisle's POV**_

What had I _done_?

Bella was writhing around on the floor, screaming in agony, and it was all down to _me_.

What sort of monster was I? I'd caused innocent people pain before... Edward, Esme, Rosalie... why hadn't I learnt to stop? Especially with someone as wonderful as Bella? How could I even _consider_ hurting her?

I felt a hand on my shoulder; it was Esme's.

"Carlisle, we should take Bella back to the house, it would be more... comfortable for her."

_Comfortable_? I could vaguely remember the fiery torment the venom caused; I doubted a bed would soothe it. I closed my eyes slowly.

"Yes... alright."

I hesitated, wondering whether Bella would break if I carried her; she seemed so horribly fragile, all because of me.

I gently scooped her shuddering body in my shaking arms and began carefully running through the forest. I could feel Bella's back arching in my hands and held her closer, trying to whisper soothing words into her ear. Her pain-filled voice suddenly shocked me.

"Please... p-please... it... hurts..._ stop_..."

My body ached with guilt and I had to stop running to talk to her steadily.

"It's okay, B-Bella, you're going to be alright..."

My pathetic attempts at trying to calm her were responded to with a hoarse cry which ripped through my body. She must _really_ hate me now and just _thinking_ about her pain... I'd been so _selfish_.

She started sobbing, heartrenching, loud sobs, and I tried my hardest to ignore it as I started running again. This was going to be a _horrific_ experience for everyone involved...

_**Bella's POV**_

I had no idea of the time passing by... had it been a few minutes since this torture had begun? Or was it days? It certainly felt like it. It seemed never-ending.

I never really believed in punishment or Hell, but now I was seriously considering it. Was this my payment for what I had done?

But I'd been innocent...

It was strange; the pain seemed to be gradually drawn away from my limbs, and started to concentrate on my chest. It was completely bewildering and my hands clutched at my ribs, trying to squeeze the pain away. I was helpless, though; I screeched as it burned and scorched at my heart. I could feel it racing, as if trying to fight this strange heat, but I knew it was a losing battle. Soon, my heart was going to give in... going to stop. I knew it.

Did that mean I was going to die? Die, after enduring this agony?

What would happen then?

Maybe if my heart stopped beating, it wouldn't hurt so much. I would be free.

I suddenly felt tears prickling down my cheeks.

"Bella?" a voice asked, and I felt a hand clasp mine. It was nice to have the feeling back in my fingers, even if my heart was failing.

I tilted my head towards the sound and dared to open my eyes. It was Carlisle and I could see him better than ever before... everything around me was defined. But that didn't stop me remembering the fact that _he_ was the one who had made all of this happen to me... whatever it was.

"W-why?" I spluttered, and my eyes bulged in surprise. My voice sounded different... a lot smoother, somehow.

I saw Carlisle close his eyes, before speaking to me in a voice which seemed clearer to me than ever before.

"Does it still hurt?" he asked quietly.

I winced as a stronger wave rippled in my chest.

"That's a yes, then," he sighed, not meeting my eyes.

"_Ahhh_!" I yelled, as an incredibly tense wave of fire attacked my chest once more. It was a strange feeling, almost as if it were consuming my heart.

I'd never known such pain could exist.

I felt my heart thumping irregularly, and it eventually stopped for a deadly five seconds, before beating once more, then resting, not moving again. I waited and waited, praying that it hadn't given up, but nothing happened.

I must be dead... surely?

But why could I hear sounds and feel Carlisle's hand in mine? Why was I still thinking?

Why was I still _breathing_?

It felt very strange, though; the breathing didn't bring me any relief... it wasn't necessary anymore. I stopped taking in air and realised that I was comfortable without it.

Was my body dead on the inside or something? What had _happened_?

I opened my eyes and looked around; everyone was crowded by me, staring expectantly. Carlisle looked the most anxious of them all, but that was nothing new.

I sat up in a very quick movement, so quick that I had to blink several times, causing a muffled laugh from within the room.

I was _alive..._

But with that thought, a sudden burning erupted in my throat, and I clasped at it worriedly. I thought the fire had left... was it coming back with a vengeance?

This was horrific.

"Don't worry, Bella," I heard a voice saying, and I realised that it was Carlisle again. "That's perfectly normal."

I raised an eyebrow at him. "How can you classify everything that has just happened to me as being 'perfectly normal?' I hadn't meant to snap, but I needed answers, and I needed them now. The torture I had just been through couldn't be dismissed quite so easily.

"Carlisle," I whispered, after a moment's tense silence. "Please... _please _just tell me what's going on."

He kept eye contact with me for a very long time, before approaching and standing right in front of me. He took a deep breath and I waited in anticipation.

"Bella," he sighed. "I... I don't really know how to tell you this..."

"It's perfectly simple," I replied impatiently.

He eyed me carefully before saying. "We're... we're... well..." His hands ran through his hair. "You've become... a vampire."

I just stared at him. Was he taking the piss?

I saw him swallow nervously and he continued speaking. "When you were dying, y-you asked to live... and my only option was to change you into a... a vampire."

I continued to just look at him. Surely that couldn't be true; why was he spinning me this rubbish? Was he trying to protect me from the hideous truth? This was hardly appropriate and I suddenly felt irritated and scared.

Vampires didn't exist. They were a work of fiction, for God's sake.

_But..._ he had always been pale, and I had never seen anybody here eating anything...

No, that was just a coincidence. A stupid coincidence that meant nothing.

"Carlisle..." I swallowed, sounding horribly desperae. "Please, _please_ just tell me the t-truth."

He looked at me with despair. "Bella, I _am_ telling you the truth."

I frowned irritably. "Oh! So is there some new medical method for turning people into so called 'vampires', now?" My voice became gradually louder as my annoyed sarcasm grew. "Why didn't you tell me? That could have come in_ handy_!"

He didn't move, just stared at me.

"Bella, please let me explain... it will all make sense if you just let me give you some answers."

I didn't respond, so he continued.

"I... I was attacked by a vampire several decades ago, and underwent the same process as you just have. The burning, the pain and venom slowly overtaking my body..." I winced as I relived the fresh memory. And what had he meant by 'several decades ago?' My eyes felt like they'd fall out of their sockets.

"After I realised what had happened, I tried to destroy myself, but nothing came to any sort of effect, so I..." he hesitated. "I fed off animal blood to satisfy my hunger. I didn't want to kill innocent life."

I felt my eyes bulge even further.

"As the time passed by, I managed to resist my urges... that's the pain you're feeling right now, your thirst for blood."

My hand automatically massaged my throat as I felt a wave of sickness. God, what was _happening_?

"I eventually found Edward in a hospital, dying of the Spanish influenza." My eyes darted to Edward automatically. "I turned him into a vampire, as his mother had requested that I let him live under any circumstances."

Edward nodded and I looked away at the floor.

"After that, I found Esme, then Rosalie, Emmett, Alice and Jasper, and now we're all a family. A clan. We're technically vegetarian vampires, as we only feed on animals."

I didn't want to admit it, but everything was sort of making sense, as twisted as it all was. I continued to stare though, unable to form words. This seemed like some sort of twisted fantasy.

"When... when you said that you wished to live, it was the only thing I could think of... I'm... I'm sorry if it isn't what you wanted... I just..." His voice broke and I looked up at him pleadingly.

"Vampires are strong, fast and live for eternity," he continued, and I stared at him with an open mouth. "The transformation from human to vampire causes a lot of physical changes..."

I watched as his eyes seemed to absorb me and I glanced at the floor in discomfort.

"Do... do you want to see, Bella?" he asked, gesturing towards the mirror in the living room. I nodded infinitesimally before seemingly drifting towards the glass. It bothered me that everyone seemed to be oggling at me like I was a monkey in a zoo.

I approached the mirror and gasped as I saw the reflection. Surely that wasn't _me_...

Without sounding vain, I was... I was actually _beautiful._ My skin was pale, yet seemed to shine wonderfully. I looked perfect, despite the ragged clothes which I was still wearing. I shook my head in disbelief.

"This... no, this can't be happening..." I murmured. "H-how?"

"Bella?"

I felt Carlisle's hands on mine and sparks shot through my body, causing feelings stronger than ever before. It felt like my skin was tingling at his touch. As he stood close to me, I realised I could smell his intoxicating scent better; it was staggering.

What-

"I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted..." he breathed. "But... I..."

"Carlisle," I interrupted, feeling slightly overwhelmed. No, screw the slightly, I was _completely_ overwhelmed. "Please can I... have some time to think?"

He looked at me warily before nodding. "Of course." I walked towards the door, feeling everyone's eyes on my back. As soon as I stepped outside, I felt the wind on my face and could smell all kinds of scents; flowers, the smell of rain, wood...

I walked absentmindedly through the trees, brushing my fingers along each one as it passed. It seemed that all my senses were enhanced.

I continued walking along, listening to the crisp sound of the fallen twigs snapping beneath my feet. My bare feet. Yet, I didn't feel any discomfort. No pain.

I could see a rock in the distance and my thoughts turned back to Carlisle's words.

_"Vampires are strong..."_

I quickly retrieved the rock and squeezed my fingers around it. It suddenly crumbled into tiny pieces, scattering on the floor. I stared at my hands in awe.

After a moment's thought, I began walking forwards again, as Carlisle's words filled my head once more.

_"Fast..."_

There was a strange feeling in my legs, in my muscles... it felt like strength. Like I could run any distance I wanted. Without thinking, I started to increase my speed and I raced past the trees, blurs of green and brown shooting past me. It was like I was faster than a sports car, darting along without hitting anything, no effort needed. I slowed to a halt, surprised that my breathing was still even. I rested my head against a nearby tree, thinking once more.

_"And live for eternity..."_

I just stared ahead. How was that even _possible_?

A sudden thought leapt into my racing head and I sped through the forest, listening carefully to the gentle noise of a stream which I could hear. Soon enough, I emerged from the trees and a large lake lay ahead of me. Without stopping, I leapt into it, the water caressing my body. It didn't feel cold as I'd expected, just... comfortable. Everything was _comfortable_.

The water gushed around me as I kept my head under water. Was anything going to happen?

The time passed by slowly and I didn't feel any pain. Nothing was happening. My lungs weren't filling with water.

I really _could_ live forever.

I emerged from the lake and sat on the floor, staring. This was really all true.

I was a vampire.

Did that disturb me? I thought for a moment, truly considering it, and realised that no. It really didn't. Well, it was still all mindboggling (it probably would be for weeks), but it was kind of... cool.

I stood up and paced around for a while, thinking of the Cullens. They really did seem like the same people to me. It didn't really matter to me that they were vampires. It didn't even bother me when I thought of the word.

They were still my family.

I was the same as them now... it meant that I really belonged.

A smile slowly spread across my face. This was... _good_. I was finally free of Mark, and I was better and stronger than I had ever been.

And there was a burning emotion which seemed to be slowly filling me; I felt confident about myself. I could do anything.

But best of all, I could live forever with Carlisle.

I raced quickly back to the house, suddenly feeling incredibly excited.

The Cullens all looked up with interest and confusion as I raced into the house, my wet clothes dripping water onto the floor. I turned to Carlisle and just took him all in. I still trusted him; he was still the same person I had fallen helplessly in love with...

"Bella?" he asked tentatively. "Bella, are you... alright?"

I nodded, smiling a little.

"I'm... I'm sorry if this isn't what you wanted, I just... you asked to live and I..."

"Carlisle," I interrupted. "I'm.. I _think _I'm happy."

I smiled, taking in Carlisle's face as he beamed back at me. As the relief flooded his face, he looked stunning. His teeth seemed to sparkle and, close up, I could see that he had no imperfections whatsoever. His wonderful eyes stared back into mine and I sighed.

"It will all take a while to get accustomed to," he continued. "But... we're all here for you... I just hope you're-"

"Carlisle," I grinned. "I'm free of Mark once and for all, I'm stronger than ever before... I feel _amazing._"

I looked around at everyone surrounding me. "This is... amazing. I can see things, smell things, sense things, hear things... so many more _things!_"

Carlisle grinned for the first time and the look truly lit up his face; I expected my heart to flutter but then realised, it was silent.

"Thank goodness," he exhaled, closing his eyes. "I was so worried... I'm sorry that you had to go through that... I-"

I grabbed his hand and squeezed it. "It was worth it. I feel so... different! In a good way... I think."

It was true; I felt like I could do anything. Sure, it was all a shock that I was still recovering from, but I was excited. Really excited.

A new voice spoke and I looked up in surprise to see Edward. "It's a shame I can't read your mind anymore. It really was quite interesting."

I stared at him in disbelief; what had he just said?

Perhaps I'd misheard him. The look on Carlisle's face reassured me I hadn't, though; he looked as shocked as I felt. It was quite funny, really.

"I'm... Bella, I'm sorry, ignore him..." I saw him give Edward an annoyed look. "You've already had so much to take in today..."

"No... no," I frowned. "What did you say?"

Edward stepped forwards. "Sometimes, when people become vampires, they gain special abilities, and mine is to read human minds. I can't read yours anymore, seeing as you're now one of us." He paused, shrugging. "It was good while it lasted though."

I couldn't believe what he'd just told me... He'd probably been hearing all my thoughts about Carlisle.

I felt like I could die of mortification. Edward sensed this and I saw him grinning slightly, and I grimaced towards him.

"Don't worry, Bella," he winked. "Your secrets are safe with me."

I just shook my head.

"Edward's not the only one with abilities," Alice suddenly said and I saw her pulling Jasper towards me. "I can see the future and Jasper has the power to manipulate emotions."

If I wasn't already shocked before, now I was staggered. Alice merely grinned.

"Yeah, it's quite cool, really. I could see everything that was going to happen to you, allowing me to keep an eye on you for Carlisle."

I saw Carlisle shaking his head beside me and he was muttering something under his breath. I grinned; it really was like old times.

"And..." Jasper began, "Everytime you've felt a change of emotion, that was me." He smiled happily. "You were feeling anxious a lot, so I helped you feel a little calmer."

I smiled at him appreciatively. It seemed like these people really did care for me.

"And, as a bonus, it's a relief not to want to..." he hesitated, looking towards Carlisle. "Well... lets just say your blood... _appealed_ to me."

I blinked. "Oh... sorry."

Everyone around me raised their eyebrows before laughing.

"Of course, you're the one who has to apologise, Bella," Emmett spluttered and I frowned.

"Well, I have kind of caused you all a few problems..." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders.

"Maybe, Bella, but it's all been worth it," Carlisle said, smiling down at me. I exhaled with relief; I was feeling incredibly elated now. But there was still one thing that bothered me. Well, two things really, but one was more important at the moment.

"Carlisle, my... my throat..."

He nodded in understanding. "Do you want to... to go hunting?"

I raised an eyebrow. "That's what you call it? Can't we make it sound less... menacing?"

He smirked. "Alright, do you want to... dine out?"

I laughed; it sounded like a bell chiming. "Sure."

Although it was all light-hearted, I had never been so scared in my life.

This still felt unreal. Maybe it was.


	27. Twenty Seven

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Seven_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Bella was just wonderful. Amazing. _Sensational_.

And she was even more beautiful than before, if that was actually possible.

It came with great relief that she'd accepted what I had done to her; the pain of watching her changing over the three days was nearly unbearable. No, it was. Despite this, I stayed by her side and slowly watched all of her wounds stitching together, her skin gradually paling and her body shuddering.

But it had all been worth it, and now I loved her with all of my existence. That hadn't changed at all. Her skin glowed, her hair shone; I could go on and on.

"Carlisle?" she asked, looking up at me with her newly sparkling eyes. We were both sat on the couch and I stared at her, before mumbling, "Yes, Bella?"

She hesitated. "Won't people notice if the population of a certain animal species drops? I mean... after that _meal..._"

I shook my head, grinning a little. "We always make sure that we..." I coughed, "_dine_ on overpopulated species, so people don't notice a difference." I winked. "You see, we've thought of everything in advance."

She smiled. "I wouldn't have expected anything less."

Her first hunting experience had gone exceptionally smoothly; she didn't seem to have any problem at attacking the animals. The natural instincts took over, and it didn't seem to bother her too much either. She was becoming extremely well adjusted, which pleased me more than words could express.

We sat in silence for a little while and I watched her staring around the room, her eyes flickering rapidly. She turned towards me suddenly.

"How on_ earth_ have you survived so long as a doctor?" she asked, frowning slightly. "Surely all of that blood tempting? I think I would have collapsed or something..."

"It doesn't bother me," I smiled. "I've just grown accustomed to it after all the years of practice."

She seemed to stare at me in awe and I chuckled. "You'll be the same after a few decades."

She raised her eyebrows. "_Decades_."

I laughed. "It doesn't seem like such a long time, really. The days pass by without me really noticing now."

She frowned. "So this means I'll probably have to give up my job for a while..."

I nodded and she sighed.

"But... but if it takes _decades_ to control myself... I can't exactly go back there... they'll all notice I haven't aged..."

"That does become a bit of a problem," I replied. "It means we will all have to move location every few years. But we don't want to think about that just yet."

She nodded. "Yes... there are more important things to do..."

I turned towards her. "Like what?"

She narrowed her eyes. "Oh, you know... just... _things_."

I smirked. "Alright. _Things_."

I watched as she suddenly froze and looked towards me with worry.

"Oh God, Carlisle... what about my parents?" she gasped. "They're going to realise what has happened to me... and the _holiday_!"

I looked towards her sadly. "We'll have to sort that out in time..."

"But the holiday isn't far away, Carlisle!" She looked truly panicked. "What would happen? Dad would probably have a heart attack! And Mom! They'd never come near me again!"

I reached for her hand. "Don't worry; we _will_ find a way to solve the problem."

She slumped back against the sofa, staring up at the ceiling. She didn't seem convinced at all. To be honest, I wasn't either.

_**Bella's POV**_

For the time being I'd decided to avoid my parents for as long as I could. It wasn't like I saw them that often, anyway, and I trusted Carlisle; I knew he'd help me. Somehow.

Later on that day, Carlisle left after being called by Edward, and Alice suddenly skipped into the room, looking towards me suspiciously. I could immediately tell that she was planning something, so I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Hi Bella," she smiled chirpily. "How are you feeling today?"

I grinned a little. "Pretty good, actually."

She sat closer towards me. "That's great. Oh, and don't worry about your parents. It'll all work out."

Before I could ask what she meant, she had continued babbling. "Now, there is something more important that I need to sort out..."

I swallowed nervously, "Okay..."

"You and Carlisle. What's going on?"

I raised an eyebrow in surprise. "Um... I'm sorry, Alice, I don't know what you mean..."

She shook her head. "Oh come on, Bella! We've all been waiting for something to happen between you both!"

I couldn't form any words, so she continued.

"Bella, please tell me you're planning to do something about your feelings soon! The suspense is _really _frustrating!"

I frowned in surprise; how did she know how I felt?

Then I remembered. Edward. Stupid, mind-reading relative. I quickly made a mental note; I'd have to throttle him as revenge someday soon.

"Alice... I..."

She interrupted. "Have you liked Carlisle ever since..."

"We first met," I finished. "Yes."

"But Bella!" Alice screeched. "That's nearly a year ago! How have you two survived without any... well..."

She trailed off and I placed my head in my hands; this was all _extremely_ embarrassing. Now that everyone obviously knew, it would be even more awful if nothing happened. I groaned.

"He likes you too, you know," Alice smirked, and I peeked at her.

"That's because he's a work colleague," I shrugged. "Of course he's bound to like me... how could we work together if he hated me?"

She slowly shook her head. "No, Bella, he_ likes_ you. I mean really likes you, as in how I _like_ Jasper."

My eyes popped with shock. "Ssh."

Alice nodded. "I'm not lying. Jasper says it's been obvious, you know, how he can detect emotions and everything. He says that everytime Carlisle is around you, he's feeling... love. Lust. Desire."

I stared wordlessly at her... surely Carlisle wouldn't... he _couldn't _like somebody like _me_...

_Love_ somebody like me...

"Ugh, Bella, I can tell you still don't believe me! Please," she looked at me intensely, "Why would Carlisle change you if you didn't mean something to him? He loves you Bella, he loves you more than he ever loved Esme." She must have noticed my worried face because she said, "Even Esme wants him to get with you; we all want him to be happy."

A small smile spread across my lips. He really felt the same way...

I felt a sudden wave of happiness spread through me, followed quickly by fear. Alice must have been telling me all this for a reason.

"We all think it's about time you two did something about your feelings," Alice grinned. "So... it's incredibly handy that Carlisle's outside right now, isn't it?"

I exchanged a long look with her, before asking, "You really are being serious now aren't you? I don't want to make a fool out of myself... I've had a lifetime of doing that."

Alice looked at me in a way that convinced me fully. How could I have ever doubted her? She wouldn't lie about something as serious as this.

I stood up and smiled shakily. "I can't believe this."

She stood up beside me and gripped my shoulders. "I can, it's about time."

I exhaled. "He's really outside?"

She looked over my shoulder and I followed her gaze, seeing Carlisle pacing up and down the grass on his own. A rush of worry and desire filled me. I could be minutes away from finally fulfilling my dreams...

I was surprised I hadn't collapsed already.

I took a deep breath and walked towards the door, after receiving a final encouraging glance from Alice. I owed her so much.

I stepped outside and Carlisle turned around to smile at me, that beautiful smile I'd never tire of.

**_Carlisle's POV_**

I stared at Edward in disbelief. He had just taken me out of the room to tell me that Bella _loved_ me. Loved_ me_.

Surely not...

Although, after all the months of wanting to be more than just a friend to her, it did come as exciting news, even if I didn't believe him just yet.

"Carlisle," Edward sighed. "You know full well that I can read minds, and whilst Bella was human, I heard _everything_. She loves you Carlisle, so much. She was thinking of you most of the time... it was so clear." He paused. "Please Carlisle, I know it would make you both so happy, and it's been nearly a year now since you both realised your feelings."

I stared past his shoulder; it all made sense. I was starting to believe him.

Could Bella really share my feelings? The very thought made a rush of happiness pass through me, as well as something I hadn't experienced in a very long time... lust.

"Carlisle, everyone is just waiting for it to happen," he continued. "Please, I know you both have eternity, but why not spend it together? If somebody came along for me, I wouldn't waste any time, but I still have to wait."

I felt a wave of sympathy for him and placed my hand on his shoulder.

"Thank you, son," I smiled.

He smiled back. "Why not wait outside for Bella? Maybe you can... _talk_."

I couldn't help smirking. "Alright. We will_ talk_. Thank you."

He nodded and I stepped outside, feeling prickles of anticipation mixed along with some nerves. This was what I'd been wishing for, for what felt like forever. Now, it could become reality.

I felt true happiness as Bella stepped outside to join me, and I knew what I had to do.

**_Bella's POV_**

I kept expecting my heart to be pounding erratically, but it was still. I hadn't really accepted that fact yet, but I knew it wasn't really dead. If it was, I couldn't hold all of this love for Carlisle. I was sure of it.

"Bella," he sighed, and I closed my eyes at his voice. He was perfect. Why hadn't I leapt on him before?

I cleared my head of the irrational thoughts and smiled back at him.

"Hi."

We stood close together for a long time, and I tried to concentrate to the wind blowing around us, but I could only feel Carlisle's eyes on me. I was drawn to look at him and shared a smouldering look which took my breath away. Surely this person wasn't real...

No, I knew he was. He'd helped me through the worst parts of my life.

He _was _my life.

He was... my hero.

He suddenly clasped my hand, sending tingles through my body. His touch was like a magnet and I was pulled closer towards him. I could see his shirt rising and falling as he took deep breaths, and I closed my eyes for a long time, struggling to believe what was happening. When I reopened them, he was just inches away from me and I could feel his cool breath on my face, causing me to shiver. His eyes were blazing and I swallowed loudly, in complete disbelief. I couldn't believe what was happening.

"Bella," he breathed, causing waves of desire to rush through me. I loved how he said my name and it sounded even better with my new hearing.

"Yes?" I whispered breathlessly back, not losing eye contact with him.

"I... I have something to tell you," he responded, clutching my other hand. I could nearly feel his nose on mine, and my body was practically dying with anticipation.

"Really?" I grinned, and he grinned back, showing me his beautiful teeth. It took all my self control not to kiss him straight away.

"Yes."

I took in a shaky breath. "Tell me."

There was an unbearable pause.

"I... I think, Bella Swan." He swallowed. "That I love you."

I closed my eyes for a long time, savouring those words that when straight to my heart. A stupid grin spread across my face as I felt the true joy flood me. Alice was right after all; he really did love me.

"Well... guess w-what?" I finally replied, looking into his expectant face.

He raised an eyebrow adorably. "I don't know, Bella, please tell me."

I made him wait, before murmuring, "I love you, too."

It was his turn to close his eyes and I rested my forehead against his, feeling a strange heat burning between our skin.

"It's taken us both long enough to realise," he grinned, breathing against my mouth. I couldn't contain myself anymore.

"Carlisle, can I ask you something?" I asked slowly and I felt him nod.

"Please, kiss me."

He didn't move for a brief moment, but then I felt his lips on mine and everything seemed complete.

Fire blazed through my body as his lips touched mine and I gasped against him, wanting more.

His hands found their way around my waist and he pulled me closer towards him. I happily pressed against his body and kissed him enthusiastically back, relishing in the desire which was enveloping my senses. I reached for his hair and ran my fingers through it, completely dazedby its softness and beauty. I returned my attention back to his kiss and felt my lips tingling; nobody had _ever _made me feel like this before. It was like I was moulded for his body; everything was perfect.

He kissed me long and hard, and I lost track of everything around me. It was like just Carlisle and myself existed in our own little bubble, and everything was fantastic. My past seemed so long ago and I didn't want to remember.

After the wonderful moments of pure bliss, I felt him pull away and we just stood there, breathing heavily. We then met eyes and both grinned happily. He pulled me into a tight hug and I rested my head on his shoulder. I could feel his hands on my back, holding me tightly towards him. I belonged to him now; we were together.

I just prayed this wasn't all a dream.


	28. Twenty Eight

**My Hero**

_Chapter Twenty Eight_

_**Carlisle's POV**_

Sometimes, life could be fantastic. Completely _wonderful_.

I couldn't deny that Bella was the main cause; ever since her lips had touched mine, I felt like a new person. Like I had a reason to live once more.

I was so happy that not even the comments from Emmett bothered me. There were several "finallys!" and "it's about times!" but I didn't care. Bella was finally mine.

I wrapped my arm around Bella's shoulder as we sat together on the sofa, and I leant over to kiss her cheek. She smiled the smile which filled me with happiness and I pulled her closer so that she leant on my chest. I rested my chin in her beautiful hair and closed my eyes, overwhelmed by how comfortable I was.

The days and weeks passed by and each moment was like a blessing. It seemed like a smile was permanently etched onto each of our faces and that sparks raced through my body each time we touched. Which was most of the time, really.

It came as a surprise one morning when Alice skipped into the room, clutching an envelope which she handed to me. I frowned towards her and she shrugged.

"What is it, Carlisle?" Bella asked, after I'd opened it.

"It's an invitation," I told her. "An invitation for a party."

"A _party_?" she echoed, with a tiny frown on her face which I adored.

"It's from everybody at the hospital," I explained. "Apparently it's somebody's birthday. We've been invited."

Her eyes filled with surprise. "Oooh. When is it?"

"Tonight."

"What?" Her eyes bulged. "Gosh, talk about short notice!"

I grinned. "No, it says that this was sent out three days ago. We've all been too, uh, preoccupied to notice it."

I saw her exhale. "Well, are we going?"

I raised an eyebrow. "Do you want to?"

She considered this for a moment. "Yes, I think I do." After noticing the look on my face she added, "I _think_ I can control myself."

I narrowed my eyes. "Are you sure, Bella? It would be very tempting with all the humans in the room."

She shook her head. "I think I'll be too interested in _you_ to take any notice."

I heard a noise across the room and saw Emmett laughing. "Cheesy line of the year, Bella."

She grimaced towards him and I pulled her closer.

"If you're sure..."

She planted a kiss on my lips, staggering me. "Positive."

* * *

"Maybe this isn't such a good idea," Bella frowned as I held the door of the Mercedes open for her. She had the familiar look of panic on her face.

"What makes you think that?" I asked, taking her hand.

"I can smell them already," she gasped. "And I never thought, I'll look different... what are they going to think? And they might ask questions about Mark-"

I silenced her with a kiss. "If you wish, we can turn back. It's no problem."

She looked relieved. "If you wouldn't mind."

I smiled. "Anything for you, my love."

_**Bella's POV**_

I had been incredibly stupid thinking I could cope with the party; the smell of the blood was intoxicating and made it difficult for me to think. Urgh. What a waste of time.

Still, Carlisle was being amazing as ever, and drove us both away through the dark forest, making me laugh at his constant comments. I knew he was trying to distract me from my memories of crashing but, to be honest, I was too happy and it hadn't really crossed my mind.

I watched as the lights of his car illuminated the road in front of us and glanced over at him. He was looking over at me, also, barely keeping his concentration on driving. I didn't worry, though, I knew by now that vampire reactions were exceptional.

"You look sensational in that dress," he told me and I smiled timidly. Alice had found me a tight fitting black dress which, I had to admit, did suit me fairly well. The contrast of the light and dark seemed to make my skin sparkle more than ever. This vampire life wasn't half bad.

"Thank you." I looked over towards him in his shirt. "You do as well."

_But you'd look even better with it off…_

It shocked me that this thought passed through my mind but I grinned to myself at the same time. The tension between the two of us did seem to be increasing by the day and sometimes, the way he looked at me... Also, Alice had said that he'd felt lust...

He locked eye contact with me. "Is something amusing?"

I swallowed nervously. "No... no."

He surprised me by suddenly cutting off the engine, leaving us in complete silence. I could hear our breathing and tried to control myself as he leaned closer towards me.

"I think there's something you want to tell me," he murmured, staying inches away from me. I could feel the excitement and desire beginning to sweep through me.

"I'll tell you," I began, "On one condition."

He smirked cheekily and I just wanted to reach out for him. "And what might that be?"

"Well," I answered, drawing out the word, "I'll tell you... if you kiss me."

He raised an eyebrow and I saw his gaze travel to my lips. Without a word, he suddenly pressed his lips against mine and I felt the familiar sense of joy pass through me. He reached out for me, making sure that we were as close as possible, and I gasped as our kiss intensified and he brushed my hair with his hands. I found myself feeling dizzy and my hand flew to the dashboard in an attempt to steady myself.

To my dismay, Carlisle broke away from me too soon and I stared at him, pleading with my eyes. My breathing was uneven and there was only one thing on my mind. Before I could blink, Carlisle scooped me in his arms and placed me on the back seat, then joining me by leaning on top of me. I was pressed against the window as he kissed me harder and I reached for the buttons on his shirt. I felt him moan against me and I sighed contently; I had dreamt about things like this!

He paused for a moment, leaning over the top of me with his bare chest inches away from me. It was breathtaking.

"Are you sure about this, my love?" he asked and it pleased me to hear his voice so uneven. I placed a hand around his head, ruffling his wonderful hair, and pulled him closer.

"Of course I am."

_**Carlisle's POV**_

We walked back into the house with sly smirks on our faces. I exchanged a quick look with Bella as we arrived on the doorstep and she frowned at my shirt.

"Carlisle, the buttons are done up all wrong," she giggled, sorting them out and bringing back wonderful memories of earlier. I grinned at her.

"Well, I'll never be able to control myself if someone offers me a ride in their backseat again," she snorted and I laughed along with her.

"Like I would let that happen," I added in an undertone and she clutched my hand.

"I just hope Alice didn't see anything," she muttered.

Edward greeted us with a confused look as we stepped inside and we explained, trying very hard to keep straight faces, that the party had been cancelled.

"Yeah," Bella continued, coughing to muffle her amusement. "There was an outbreak of food poisoning or something."

He responded with a raised eyebrow. "Alright. Anyway, I have some news."

A small smile crept on his face and he continued. "I think I've found someone. I was out earlier and... we started talking. She was beautiful..."

"That's fantastic, Edward," Bella smiled.

"Yes, it really is, son," I added. "Let's hope you have finally found some happiness."

He nodded. "Yes. Let's." He frowned. "Hey, Carlisle, is that... _lipstick_ on your neck?"

My hand instinctively reached to cover it."No... I..."

Bella and myself raced into the room before he could ask anything else.

"Hey," Alice smiled and I bit my lip worriedly. "I saw that you were coming back."

I saw Bella nod rigidly in the corner of my eye. "Yeah, it was such a shame."

Alice narrowed her eyes at me and spoke. "But anyway, there's been some news."

We took our seats on the sofa and looked up at Alice with interest.

"Oh?" Bella asked, "Anything serious?"

"They told you not to worry, but your Dad's a little bit ill."

I saw Bella's face crumple and reached for her hand.

"He's got flu and they won't be able to go on the holiday," Alice continued. "So, your mother rang up and offered you two the tickets. She doesn't want you to feel bad and insists that your father really is fine."

I saw Bella looking staggered. I could tell that she was going to refuse from guilt.

"A-Alice... I really couldn't go knowing that he's ill, it wouldn't be right-"

"Maybe you could ring them yourself," she shrugged. "They wanted to speak to you."

I saw Bella nod. "I'll do it now, if you don't mind."

She rushed out of the room and I exchanged a look with Alice.

"Don't worry," she smiled. "He'll be fine. And you may need to get yourself some new sunglasses!"

_**Bella's POV**_

Please let him be alright. _Please_.

The phone rung ominously and eventually Mom answered.

"Hi, Mom, it's me, Bella," I answered in a croaky voice; I'd decided it would be best to pretend to have a cough which would disguise my different voice.

"Bella! How are you? Did Alice speak to you? She's a lovely girl."

"Mom! How is Dad? _Really_? Tell me the truth."

I heard her sigh. "Seriously, Bella he's fine. You sound worse than him, have you got a cold?"

"Yeah. Could I at least talk to him?" I pleaded. "I just want to be sure."

With a reluctant sigh, she put Dad on the phone. He actually sounded alright.

"Yes, Bella, I really am fine, I just don't feel like going on the holiday. It's a shame really." There was a brief pause. "And besides, you can go with that Carlisle fella."

I swallowed. "Dad, but... you paid and I-"

"Please Bella, it would make me happy. The ticket's are already in the post."

I closed my eyes. "Thanks Dad, that's so kind, really."

"Oh, it's nothing. And we'll have to visit you soon."

Yes, they would. And I'd be ready. Alice had told me earlier about some clever ways to disguise myself. But the main thing on my mind now, was two weeks alone in Spain with Carlisle... now _that_ sounded fun.

I walked back into the room and Carlisle hurried anxiously towards me.

"What did they say? Is your father alright?"

I nodded happily. "He's just fine." I smiled. "It looks like we're off on holiday, too."

I saw something briefly flicker across his face and frowned. "Is something wrong, Carlisle?"

He hesitated. "There's the small fact that, well, vampires sparkle in the sunlight."

I swallowed. "I'm sorry?"

He looked at me with worry. "Sorry. It's another... vampire-thing."

"But... but that's amazing!" I squealed. "I'll have to see sometime! Wow! That's kind of crazy!"

He laughed. "But we'll have to stay inside most of the time; I wouldn't want to see a human's reaction."

I grinned happily. "Staying inside; well, I can think of plenty of ways to pass the time."

He smirked also. "I can't wait."

As we walked through the forest hand in hand, several truths came to mind. I was finally happy with everything after suffering with Mark for months and months. Carlisle was the love of my life and every time I saw him, happiness flooded my body. I knew it sounded cheesy, but it was the absolute truth.

Also, everyone else seemed content; Alice and Jasper along with Rosalie and Emmett were all happy together, and it seemed that Edward was finally coming close to finding true love. As for Esme, she seemed fine with waiting a little while. I was just pleased that she had accepted Carlisle and myself. I wouldn't have liked any fighting.

Carlisle and myself had many times together to look forward to, and I knew my life was going to be fantastic. We were going to have some challenges ahead, though, that was bound to happen. I was a little afraid of finally letting my parents see the new me, but I knew deep down, even if they did have their doubts, they'd accept it.

I couldn't help thinking back to the times when I had thought Carlisle was avoiding me; it seemed like such a long time ago._ So_ much had changed.

I thought about the great times we'd had together, too; first meeting, the dinner, the medical conference, getting stuck in the elevator...

It really did seem like we were meant to be. So many things had pulled us together.

And the greatest thing of all, was that I was finally confident about myself. I wasn't a nobody; I was special and people cared about me. That was the thing which made me the happiest of all. Knowing that I was truly loved.

I glanced over once more at Carlisle's beautiful face and smiled again, genuinely looking forward to what could happen next.

**The End**


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